Our Dream (Amourshipping)
by Jaeolian
Summary: Ash Ketchum, a competent and skilled Pokémon trainer, has laid full trust in his closest friend Serena. But now, he depends on her. It isn't long before the end of their journey in Kalos ends near, but will Ash be able to realise his feelings towards this girl?
1. Chapter 1: Master Class Is In Session!

**Amourshipping, and the only reason i've been on this website. I cannot believe it has been four years since I wrote my first fanfiction, which was an amourshipping fic, which makes three years since i deleted it in a fit of rage. Man, i was an edgy teenager, for no reason XD**

**But amourshipping will always have a special place in my heart, when I saw a character i had watched from age 5 to 13 find another that was absolutely perfect for him, and now, after the very disappointing Sun and Moon anime ended with Ash finally winning the League (that i'm actually happy for him, and a little salty that it wasn't Kalos :P), and seeing as how the amourshipping community has flocked to the 2019 anime in hopes of Ash seeing Serena again on his journey around the world, i felt that, in case of tragic letdown, i should make things go as my fellow community would have wanted.**

**This story is an ideal version of the "Ending of Ash's Pokemon journey" (if that were to ever happen lol), and takes place after episode 112 of the Pokemon XY anime (XYZ Ep 19), 'Master Class is in Session!'. For the first arc of this story, you may find that I'm keeping parts of my story parallel with what actually occurs in the anime, to keep things making sense. Also, for the sake of consistency, i'm going to make it so that every generation of Pokemon has been a year, meaning Ash and Serena are 16 during the XY anime (meaning they'll both be 17 or thereabouts by the end of that arc), and I guess, let's pretend that Clemont would be 13, and Bonnie 9.**

**Without further ado, thank you for reading, and i hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

The time had finally come for Serena's Master Class performance. The Showcase was the first thing upon Serena, Ash, Clermont and Bonnie's mind when they had arrived in Gloire City, and now they were right outside the gates, it dawned on Serena just how much effort ever other performer had to put in to arrive at such a grand place.

Ash noticed the worried look on Serena's face. "There's no need to worry, Serena. I believe you've worked hard enough to get here, so you'll win for sure!" He exclaimed with an encouraging smile on his face, a welcoming gleam in his eyes that entranced the young girl.

"Thanks Ash, you're right! I can do this!" She nodded, more enthusiastically this time.

"It looks like this showcase is a lot more crowded and popular than the previous rookie classes." Clemont noted.

Bonnie also chimed in. "We'll be cheering you on though, Serena!"

She nodded again in reply. "Right!"

They hadn't noticed another girl with light brown hair sneak up behind them. She tapped Serena on the shoulder, who spun around. "Shauna!"

"Are you ready Serena?" She asked. "It's the moment we've been waiting for!"

There was a blue haired girl next to her. "The place where one of us'll get crowned Kalos Queen."

"Miette!"

"That's true! We all had to earn these princess keys, after all!" Another green haired girl standing next to Shauna said. The Smoochum holding onto her leg jumped happily in agreement.

"Nini!" Serena cried when she saw her friend.

Shauna giggled. "So you all know each other then?"

Nini piped up. "Of course! We all competed in the Rookie Class together!"

Miette, however, was not interested in catching up with Serena. She trotted over to Ash, who was watching the girls talk patiently, next to Clemont and Bonnie. "So, Ash! You'll be cheering for me, right?"

Ash nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I'll be cheering loudly for all of you!"

Miette grinned cheekily, while eying Serena, who was secretly intently listening to Ash. "What if Me and Serena faced off? Who would you cheer then?"

Ash tilted his head, seemingly unaware of what Miette was implying "Oh, in that case, I'll cheer all I can for Serena."

Miette tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Oh, did Serena get round to saying it, then?"

Serena grabbed Miette by the shoulders and yanked her away. "Miette!"

Ash stared after them. "What's going on?"

Nini sighed. "Sounds kinda complicated."

Bonnie shrugged. "Yeah, it is."

Serena and the other girls left to prepare; Ash, followed by Clemont, Bonnie and their Pokemon, left to take their seats. When they had arrived, the announcer and his Klefki entered the stage. The room went silent as he began to speak. "Welcome everybody, to this years Master Class, Pokemon Showcase! Today we have our lovely performers, all of whom worked incredibly hard to get to this point. May each performer take your three princess keys in hand, and use them to open the doorway to the stage, where you will all compete to become the next Kalos Queen."

Serena, who was backstage, looked to her keys in awe of them and her own memories. As she turned in her first key, she was reminded of her first showcase, the one where she dressed Fennekin to look her cutest - but ultimately, the ribbon was too long and poor Fennekin slipped over. Serena remembered taking the little fox in her arms and vowing to work hard never to let this happen again - and to show herself that she could now do it, let go of her scared, past self - along with her own hair. It had worked - with Ash's motto on her mind at her next performance, to 'never give up until it's over', and despite having an accident with her dress, she screwed up her courage and persevered through it with a determination that matched her role model, and won.

The key went in like a charm, and she flipped the chain to its next key. "_My second princess key._" she whispered to herself. This key showed the bond between her and all of her Pokemon. Eevee, despite disappearing mid performance, was found in the nick of time, and Serena, along with her Pokemon, managed to stay strong for enough time to win the showcase.

This key went in, and then she reached over to place in her third. This key was one she had won after Eevee had evolved into Sylveon, and her quick thinking and her Pokemon's brilliant improvisation allowed her performance to continue - and she won. The key turned, and the door opened. It was finally time. Serena walked forward out onto the stage. When she and the others reach the stage, there was a deafening cheer from the incredibly large audience. She gulped, but smiled as she waved to the crowd. Ash saw Serena and stood up to cheer and threw a fist into the air. Pikachu and Chespin were sitting on each of Clemont's knees, and jumped up and down, causing Clemont to sigh and sweat drop, though quite bemused.

"And now, please welcome our current Kalos Queen, the beautiful Aria!" Pierre announced.

Serena turned around. Aria was behind them, descending the staircase in a perfect dress with her Delphox beside her. "Thank you all for coming here tonight, and please, let us hear a round of applause for these wonderful performers." She said with a smile. The crowd erupted into cheering and clapping.

Bonnie stared all around her. "Wow, everybody loves her!"

Clemont agreed. "I guess thats why she's Kalos Queen, huh."

Instead, Ash grinned, staring straight at the girl who he had travelled with for so long. "Serena's worked so hard to get here, put in so much time to practice with her Pokemon... She's so awesome, and I bet she'll win."

"What a fantastic speech, Madame Aria." Pierre said warmly. "And now for me to explain the rules. This Master Class will not have any themed performances - instead it will be freestyling only, in a tournament style. 3 people will compete per round, and they will be battling for the audiences attention. Then, you in the audience and at home can cast your votes for the performer whom captures your attention, with the glowsticks left on your chair, or your TV remote!" He announced.

Serena looked up to the screen above her, and her eyes widened when she saw who she was up against. She shook off the nauseous feeling building up inside of her, and instead looked intently to the crowd, even as she walked back to the lobby, for the first round to begin.

Serena sat on a chair in front of the mirror, her Pokemon: Sylveon, Pancham and Braixen next to her. "Okay Braixen, i want you for the first round, okay?

Braixen nodded. "Brai!" she replied.

Before long, a woman entered the room. "Okay, Miette, Serena, Lyn, you three are up now, please head backstage, and good luck." She said. The other girl, who's name was apparently 'Lyn' dashed off followed closely by her Glaceon.

Miette walked over to Serena. "Hey Serena. Whoever wins... No hard feelings, right?"

Serena smiled. "Right!" And so the two walked out of the comfort of the lobby and onto the stage, with the entire Kalos region tuning in to see.

Bonnie and Ash leapt out of their chairs. "Go, Serena!"

Clemont put his hands on his knees and looked down. "Cmon, just stay calm..."

Miette went first, her Slurpuff starting off using Cotton Spore. Serena waited for them to finish, until finally the spotlight flashed on her.

"Okay Braixen, use Flamethrower!"

Braixen nodded, grabbing her twig, which ignited with a dazzling flame on the end. Serena and Braixen spun around each other, lining up symmetrically to grab the stick, and they threw it into the air, causing the flames to spiral around them, and then dissipate into a beautiful array of sparks. She pumped a fist into the air, and the spectators clapped and cheered.

"Wow, that was great!" Clemont yelled.

"Yeah, and its all thanks to that training!" Ash grinned. "Come on, Serena. Show everybody what you can truly do!"

* * *

"Now, for the simultaneous performances!"

Miette made no hesitation in starting. "Slurpuff, Fairy Wind!"

Serena joined in. "Braixen, use Fire Blast!"

"Glaceon, Ice Beam!" The other girl said.

The three moves shone and sparkled all over the stage, but Braixen's fire blast shone all over the audience, the sparks falling like snow over the stage, before disappearing into the floor.

Serena blushed and waved, her heart fluttering. She was tired, yet ecstatic. These smiles... Was it what being a performer was all for?

"Now it is time for everybody to cast your votes. Please switch your colour on your glowsticks or TV remotes to your favourite performer's corresponding lock." said Pierre.

Up on the screen above, there was a graphic showing the locks filling up - Serena's one, side by side with Miette and Lyn, started to fill with colour.

"And the winner of this round is Serena! Congratulations!" He announced, beaming.

Serena gasped. She spun round on her heels to face her overjoyed partner. "Braixen, we did it!" and pulled the fox in her embrace.

She ran backstage to the lobby where her Pokemon were waiting for her. Pancham and Sylveon leapt onto her in delight. "I want you two for the next two rounds, 'kay?"

Shauna was also there. "Well done Serena! I'm so happy for you!"

"Shauna?" The woman called out. "You're on standby, okay?"

Shauna jumped away from Serena. "Well, i gotta go now! Cheer me on, will ya?"

"You got it!"

Shauna leapt to the doors with Ivysaur. she ran past Miette, who was hiding behind a wall, wiping away her tears. She casually walked over to Serena. "So Serena, congratulations, you beat me this time." She said simply. "Fair and square."

"Miette..." Serena murmured quietly, unsure of what to say.

"It's okay, don't worry about me. Just, win this for me, okay?" She exclaimed, her voice breaking.

"For me, too." Nini called out to her from behind her. Her eyes were red from crying.

"Nini... Alright, i can - no, i _will_ do this!" Serena said to them.

The rounds took off, one after the other, and Serena, with Pancham in the second round, won that round with Pancham flipping over her, and finishing by leaping into the air riding on a stone edge.

The next round she was with Sylveon, and they choreographed a dance, just like the one Serena saw when Eevee danced alone in the flowery fields, and again in her double battle with Shauna, against Ash and Tierno. They got through that round as well, albeit very closely.

* * *

"Now it is time for the semifinal round! Each performer may use two of their Pokemon for this performance. For this final round before facing off against the Kalos Queen. Are you ready? Lets go!"

Serena looked to her left. Shauna was standing there, locking eyes with her. "It's not over yet, Serena."

"I know." She nodded, and then extended her hand for a handshake. "Let's just be happy we made it this far, and may the best performer win!"

"Yeah!" Shauna replied, reaching out to take her hand.

The spotlight turned on the pink haired woman, Jessily.

"Gorgeist, use Leech Seed!"

"Gorgeist!" The pumpkin pokemon exclaimed, and showered the stage in green bullets, which summoned large vines to swamp around her and pick her up. the jester dressed Meowth grabbed hold of the Gorgeist and they hovered into the air with their trainer.

When they hit the ground, The light lit over Shauna.

"Ivysaur, Vine Whip! and Flabebe, use Fairy Wind!"

The vine whip carried Shauna off the ground, and twirled her as if she was flying, the fairy wind trailing along behind her. She spun in a full circle, and then the vine whip let go of her and hit the floor, causing the fairy wind to fly upward like a beautiful pink whirlwind, which slowly sank to the ground.

Finally, the spotlight shined over Serena. She took a deep breath, and smiled glowingly.

"Sylveon, use Swift, lets go!"

Sylveon spewed out a neat array of stars from her mouth, each of which glistened as they popped into a golden firework, as her and Serena began to dance in unison with each other.

"Pancham, use Stone Edge!"

The small panda backflipped over her and punched the floor, causing jagged rocks to appear behind Serena. Sylveon leapt on top of them gracefully and began to skip over them, eventually jumping into the air and using Fairy Wind.

The pink mist picked up Serena and Pancham, and they floated up to Sylveon, as the pink mist faded. They began to fall. Serena aimed her palm towards the stage, and the three landed upside down next to each other.

Serena winced. Landing like that at such force sent a pain searing through her hand and into her brain. She struggled to maintain her balance. Sylveon looked to Serena in worry, and quickly wrapped her waist in ribbons, to flip her the right way again. Serena slid across the floor and got up radiantly, as if it was effortless.

"Oh Sylveon, thanks for that." She whispered to the white dog, who only nodded in relief.

Above, Ash, Bonnie and Clemont were watching in complete excitement. "That was incredible!" Ash yelled.

Bonnie couldn't agree more. "She'll win, she'll win for sure!"

"Brilliant! Right at the crucial moment, too!" Clemont added.

"Now it is time to judge." Pierre announced. "Please take your glowsticks and choose the colour of your favourite performer."

The three of them immediately switched their glowsticks to pink, and watched as the three locks filled up.

Jessily.

Shauna.

Serena.

The three of them looked intently at the audience, at the beams of light drifting towards them and into their chests...

"Now the winner of this round is being chosen... The one who will face Aria for the title of Kalos Queen!" he shouted.

The room went dark until not even the performers were visible.

"And the winner is..." A spotlight hit her. "Serena! You've done it!"

Serena's knees almost buckled. She burned red, tears of joy streaming down her face. "We did it you two... We won!" She cried, hugging her two partners close.

Shauna stepped towards her. "C-congratulations Serena!" She called, her voice quiet. "Will you... Will you hold onto my dream?"

Serena looked sadly at her. "Shauna?"

She looked towards the ground. "I may be upset, but... You won this one. You're the best out of all of us, so you go on and win this whole thing, you got it?" She cried, running forward to hug Serena. Serena smiled again, and returned the gesture.

Soon after, she was led by the woman to another room, where she was told to wait until the final round had been prepared. She sat down on a bench, and, when she made sure she was alone, took off the glove that she had landed on during the semis.

She stared at it in terror. Her wrist had gone bright red, and her hand pale. A serious sprain. She shook her head at her worried Pokemon. "Don't worry you three, i'll be just fine."

Braixen began to protest, but there was a sudden knock at the door. "Y-yes, come in..?"

The grey haired woman emerged from the double doors, her eyes focused not on Serena's own, but rather, the arm she was hiding. "Show me." She told her.

"Huh?" Serena tried to act unaware, but suddenly had a sinking feeling.

"Your wrist."

"H-how did you know?"

The lady, Palermo, picked up the girls hand. "I could tell by how you moved." She scanned it with a calm expression. "Try making a fist." Serena tried, to no avail. "As I thought. You'll need to forfeit the finals. There's no way you can continue with this."

Serena's eyes widened. She felt as if her heart would shatter. Her pokemon jumped forward. "Forfeit? Not like this... I have my pokemon by my side, every step of the way... And I made it this far already! There's no way i'm gonna give up until its over!" She yelled.

Palermo looked taken aback. She glared at Serena, and then her expression softened. "You remind me so much of her... Fine. I'll treat it for you, but you have to take it easy or it'll get worse."

Serena beamed. "Really? Thank you so much!

She looked back at Serena, more fiercely this time. "And promise me you'll let a doctor see it afterwards."

Serena nodded. "Yes, i will."

Meanwhile, the performance was set up, and Pierre with his Klefki went forward. "The final round is about to go underway! This time, the performer may use as many Pokemon as they want - lets wish them best of luck in their performances!"

A round of applause bellowed throughout the room, and this got more intense when Aria and Serena entered and descended the separate staircases, lights and camera flashes beaming on the two girls.

"Who will win?" He questioned. "But without further ado, let us begin with challenger Serena's performance!"

Ash stared intently at his friend. "You can do it, Serena! Don't give up!"

Serena reached the bottom of the staircase. Her pokemon leapt in front of her. "You two ready?" She asked, grinning. They shouted in agreement. "Then lets go!" They began to dance side by side. Serena had an idea - she would mix every performance that got them this far. "Braixen, use flamethrower!"

"brai..xen!" The fox yelled. The flamethrower lit the front of the stage for the audience to see the performance take off.

"Pancham, Stone Edge, Sylveon, Fairy Wind, now!"

Serena twirled over to Pancham, who hit the ground with his fist. It was another set of 5 stone pillars, this time facing the audience. Sylveon jumped on them one up the other, like it was a staircase, followed shortly by Serena. Sylveon jumped off of the highest one, and used fairy wind over the audience, to projectile herself back towards the stage.

Serena called out to her fox. "Now Braixen, use Ember on each of the pillars!"

Braixens eyes widened in fear. Serena was still on the pillars, and if she missed... Braixen shook her head. '_Now's no time to be worried._' she thought. And so she waved her stick in front of her face, and blew a ball of fire onto each stone pillar, as Serena jumped - into the fairy wind. Braixen breathed a sigh of immense relief, and went to pick up Pancham as they both leapt into the fairy wind.

The force of the mist sent them all together above the stage, and this time, it descended very slowly, as they danced together playfully - Sylveon's thoughts flashed back to the time when she was still just a timid little Eevee, too shy to even want to be seen. Now it felt nothing of the sort - only joyful when performing - and glad to have met such a kind trainer.

"Sylveon, use Swift, and Pancham, use Dark Pulse!"

As each of the four landed perfectly on their feet, the two moves collided at such a force that it set off a firework, and even caused the air itself to sparkle. The spectators were screaming, clapping, cheering... Serena's face glowed with happiness to see so many people this overjoyed. She waved back, even as the light drifted away from her and onto Aria.

Aria took a deep breath. "Delphox! Mystical Fire! Vivillon, Psybeam!" She shouted. The butterfly Pokemon, Vivillon, took to the air and hit the flames from Delphox with a psybeam, causing a huge sparkling ball to explode sparks across the stage.

"Aromatisse, use Reflect!"

Her Aromatisse poured glistening bubbles across the stage; Aria jumped on one as Vivillon picked her up, flying up into the air.

Serena looked at her, mesmerised. "She gives so much happiness to everyone... Her smile fills them all with such strength! I wonder if i've done the same thing?" She wondered. However, Braixen looked up at Serena and grinned. Serena saw it - it was Ash's grin. She beamed. "Yes. Ash taught it to me... Everything he knows, all of his experiences on his previous travels, and about never giving up... And I passed it onto my Pokemon. I can do this. It isn't over yet."

Aria waved to them all with a smile. "And we're finished!" She cried, greeted by cheering.

Even Ash was impressed. "Man, Serena's got it tough, that was fantastic. But I think she's got it." He said to his friends. '_Her smile... That just made me feel so strong, even... Proud._' he thought.

Ash stopped. Proud? The only time he's ever felt that way was to his Pokemon. But why was he this sentimental about Serena's performance? Ash pondered to himself. '_Perhaps... Perhaps it's her attitude. I see my own good traits in her, and she's only... She's only improving from here.'_ Ash realised. The experiences they shared... It's what made him feel this way. He was proud of Serena for being so brave, despite everything. Never once has he ever felt negatively towards her. She was just a brilliant person, that brought him joy and strength that he had never felt before.

Serena was down below, waiting. Waiting for the moment where she will either win, or lose.

"These two lovely ladies have shown you their respectable talents, showing off their skills, their creativity, and their bond with their Pokemon." Pierre acknowledged. "And now, please cast your votes for who you think is the most worthy of the tiara, and title of Kalos Queen."

Every step of her journey counted towards this moment. She closed her eyes, and waited as her lock filled up with light.

* * *

**Thank you very much for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed! I'm aware, I did just copy mostly off of XYZ Episodes 19 and 20, but still, i adapted it slightly, though i'm very bad at describing performances. I hope it didn't sound too lackluster.**

**My story is not that much inspired by other amourshipping fics, though I do look to some well made fanfictions of completely different origin to aid my writing. My amoushipping inspiration tends to come from AMVs (used to make them as well, back in the day haha). The Poketuber PokemonRangerBoy12 is my biggest source of inspiration, because his videos are brilliantly made. So, big thanks to him; i recommend you check him out if you like amourshipping.**

**Anyway, I hope you read on to the next chapter, and those of you who do... See you then!**

**-Jay**


	2. Chapter 2: Masterful

**Chapter 2: Masterful**

* * *

All around Serena were the eyes of the entire region, looking intently at who the chosen winner was going to be. Her heart raced and her mind flashed so quickly between thoughts, it was almost blank.

Monsieur Pierre's voice broke the flaming tension. "Here is the moment you've all been waiting for! The person who will bring home the title of Kalos Queen, by an incredibly close victory here today in Gloire City's Master Class showcase...

Please give your most heartfelt congratulations to Serena!"

That name that came out of his mouth just then didn't register in Serena's brain at first. Time stood still around her.

She recalled how she had started out; a grumpy teenager who lived with her mom. She never made any close friends in Kalos, instead preferring to stay indoors and watching PokeVision, looking at all of the pretty performers. She never once, before she started her journey, even considered being on stage just like them doing something like that. But then, she met Ash again. Her closest friend before she moved from Kanto to Kalos. They met, and they journeyed together with Clemont and Bonnie. She wouldn't want to trade those memories for the world. After all, the feeling of happiness she had when being around her friends was the best thing in her life.

Serena took a moment to process what Pierre had said. "I... I won..? No way..." She couldn't move. Her eyes focused on her own Pokémon.

Braixen, her partner throughout their entire journey through Kalos, the fire typed fox who's personality and mannerisms closely resembled Serena's herself.

Pancham. The boisterous fighting typed panda - he always got into rows with Fennekin or Chespin but always came through for Serena, his courage and determination always pushing Serena to carry on.

Sylveon. This fairy type dog pokemon that evolved out of immense respect and affection for its trainer, and to Serena, a friend that symbolised all of their growth as friends. Deep down, Serena knew that as long as they were with her, she'll never feel empty and lonely again.

And they had reached their ambition, at the end of their year together. They had won the Master Class. They had beaten Aria.

She collapsed to her knees in ecstasy, her Pokémon leaping on top of her in a warm embrace.

The audience cheered and whistled. Clemont and Bonnie leapt out of their seats. "This feels like a dream..!" Clemont shouted to his companions in utter shock and delight.

"Clemont, Ash, she really did it! She really did it! Yay, yay!" Cried the little girl.

Ash was too stunned to get up, or even say a word. He gazed at his friend in pride, in respect, but most importantly, with affection. He was so unconditionally happy for her.

"Milady." Pierre said to Serena. "Please accept this tiara, and with it, the title of Kalos Queen."

Serena held the glistening headdress in her hands. It was a fantastic silver, with a diamond in its centre. She placed it gingerly atop her head. The room erupted into applause.

Aria walked over to her. "Serena." She said with a smile. "Congratulations! You earned this victory, one hundred percent. Don't you forget that... But don't forget what I told you when we first met either, okay? Only a true performer can do what I said to you throughout their whole careers.

Tears welled up in Serena's eyes. "Oh Aria, thank you for everything!" She cried, hugging the pink girl. She smiled, and wrapped her arms around Serena's back. 'Just remember, you still have a lot to learn about being a performer!" She added.

Serena nodded frantically, with tears of joy streaming down her face. "Thank you... Thank you..." She murmured over and over. She felt as if she was going to die of happiness, and just wanted this moment to last forever. Eventually, she wiped her face down with her sleeve and turned to the spectators, scanning the seats for Ash. She caught his gaze, and he caught hers, and the two looked at each other and smiled. "Ash..." She whispered. "Thank you too..."

Eventually the audience slowly started to filter out of their seats and spread out of Gloire City, to make their own separate journeys back home. Serena was helped to her feet and led out of the room to the lobby, where there were a certain three girls waiting for her.

"Serena! That was amazing! You really, truly did it!" Shauna cried. "Oh my goodness, I'm so happy!"

Ninis eyes were still quite red, but her voice was filled with respect. "You earned that tiara girl, be proud of yourself and your three Pokémon... After all, you four are like family!"

Serena nodded, unable to say a word. Miette beamed at her, her eyes still swollen and bright, but like Nini, glowing with admiration. "Don't think it ends here, Serena! You still have to work hard to be the best, so that you don't get knocked out in the next Master Class!"

"Oh, Miette... Nini... Shauna... Thank you all so much for being there for me." Serena exclaimed, her voice scarcely above a whisper.

They accompanied her to the lobby after she had got changed, and there she saw her mother.

"Mom!" Serena said. "You came!"

"Oh honey... I always knew you could do it, from the moment you beat me in the Skiddo race. You had potential, you had motivation, your caring friends with you... You've truly grown, sweetheart." Said Grace, beaming proudly.

Serena smiled back and ran into her mother's embrace, unable to stop the tears from flowing. "I love you mom, thank you..."

Grace turned to the girls. "You three can go home now. Thanks for taking care of my precious girl."

They bowed to her and together, left out into the open. Grace took it upon herself to shield her from the paparazzi until they had made it back to Serena's hotel room, and in there, waiting for her, was her closest friends, Clemont, Bonnie and Ash.

"Serena, Serena, wow, you won!" Bonnie shouted, jumping up and down. Clemonts own eyes were bright and enthusiastic. "Serena, that performance was incredible! I was at the edge of my seat the whole time!"

Serena giggled. "You really mean it?" She asked, to which the blonde boy nodded vigorously.

Ash waited for the them to finish. "Serena... The Kalos Queen, huh?" He grinned.

She stared at him, blushing. "It's kinda embarrassing now that I think about it..." She muttered.

Ash disagreed. "Don't be. You, Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon... You four trained together like there was no tomorrow, you never gave up even under pressure and facing narrow losses... You should view yourself as an inspiration to every performer out there, and I'm so glad that you're my friend." He said, laughing complacently and scratching his cheek. He even thought about what he said, and realised he's never said something so deep before, but he felt comfortable sharing his heartfelt opinion now. It was a strange, yet happy sensation, he concluded to himself.

Serena's eyes welled again. "Ash..." She tried to express her gratitude in words, but couldnt think of anything. In a daze, she stepped forward and pulled him into a close hug. Ash was taken aback, and his face went scarlet red. He could feel her heat wrapping around him, but he didn't let go. For some reason, it made him feel warm inside, and so he held onto the girl, not knowing what to say.

Serena, meanwhile, was still busy trying to process that she involuntarily just gave Ash a hug. She blushed feverishly, and started panicking heavily. What if Ash thought that was weird? The way she just hugged him without warning. But instead, she felt his arms on her back. Serena immediately forgot about the Master Class and her win. She felt now as if she was floating on air, just being able to touch her idol, the boy who she had had a crush on since she was a child.

Except Serena felt it was more than just a crush. Ash was always there for her, always ready to give her advice, and not only that, but he was brave, kindhearted and helpful. She saw the way he battled alongside his Pokémon, and saw that he loved them all dearly. And she loved him. However, she was too scared to tell him. How would he react to it? She noted that Ash had always treated her like a friend, and she had confided in Bonnie her crush on Ash, who had sadly told her that the boy was dense as a rock. It crushed her spirits knowing that Ash might not, or never understand her true feelings for him. But what's worse was that there would never be a right opportunity to tell him. Confessing to him might break the friendship they had, and not only that, but if Ash knew this, it might add more to his worries than the upcoming Pokémon league.

She tried to shake off this feeling, and held onto Ash, wishing that she never had to let go.

Clemont and Bonnie watched this moment in awe. Clemont scratched his nose subconsciously.

"Clemont?" Bonnie whispered. "I need to tell you something tonight. Can you come sleep next to me so I can tell you?"

Clemont turned to face her. "Um, alright? Is it really serious?"

"Ayup." Bonnie replied. Then she turned to face their two embracing friends. "Uh, guys? Are you forgetting that you have a gym battle to get to?"

The two gasped simultaneously, and Serena quickly broke away from Ash. "Ah!" She cried. "Sorry, sorry..."

Ash looked dazed, but shrugged it off. "Oh yeah! The Snowbelle gym, isn't it?" He asked.

Serena nodded, and pulled out her map. "Yep, and it's not that far from here. Just need to go back a left on this turn, and follow the road. But apparently, Snowbelle City is gonna be really cold, so be sure to pack your snow gear!"

"So what do you say we sleep here tonight, and first thing in the morning we head to Snowbelle City?" Clemont asked. The other three all agreed.

Serena's mother, Grace, was watching them intently. Then she said "You four have a safe journey, okay? I'll be heading back home now."

They turned to face her, and said their goodbyes; She left and the four went to book in their one night stay.

"Hey, Serena?" Clemont asked.

"Yeah?"

"Bonnie wanted to sleep in my room tonight. Is it okay with you if we switched rooms?"

"Yeah, sure." She said, but then she realised what that meant for her - she'd be sleeping in Ash's room! She tried to casually wipe her face in an effort to hide her intense blush, and then left to go to her room, where Ash was already setting down his backpack.

"Hey Serena." He called. "Where's Clemont?"

Serena acted nonchalant. "Oh, he uh, Bonnie wanted to sleep next to him tonight, so he asked to switch places with me..."

Ash shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, that's fair enough then. Except apparently, these rooms only have double beds, so if i'm a bit too uncomfortable, I don't mind taking a sleeping bag-"

"Nonono, that's okay!" She reassured him quickly, her blush becoming even more scarlet. Now she's going to share the same bed as her crush? Hands down, she felt it was the best day of her life so far.

"Alright, if you're okay with that, i don't mind." Ash said, relaxing slightly. His trainers and socks were already thrown in the corner of the room; he pulled off his jacket, jumper and jeans, and chucked them on top of his footwear. "I'm gonna hit the hay then." He told her. "I'm not looking, don't worry, so um, goodnight."

He delved under the covers and his head hit the pillow. About a minute later, he noticed the covers lifting and falling again, and another presence in the bed.

Again, he noticed she was nice and warm. The heat was comforting, and he found himself getting sleepier - however, he realised after a while that he couldn't fall asleep. Serena was facing him, her eyes closed and her breathing soft.

* * *

Bonnie was wearing in a onesie, snuggling under her older brother. "So Bonnie," Clemont started. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Have you noticed the way Serena acts around Ash?" Bonnie asked.

Clemont put a hand on his chin. "Well... I can't say I have..."

Bonnie sighed. "What do you think she thinks of him?"

He tilted his head. "What are you asking me this for-"

"Its love! Serena totally has a crush on Ash! I can't believe you're this dense!" she snapped at him finally. Clemont went red. Now that Bonnie mentioned it, that explanation made perfect sense to him - why she blushes around Ash, her constant concern for his health and safety, the way she smiles in his company... Clemont silently cursed at himself for not seeing it sooner.

"I think i get it, but why are you telling me this?"

Bonnie glared at him, exasperated. "Well, have you realised that the Kalos League is coming up really fast, and, even if Ash wins or loses, chances are he isn't gonna stay in Kalos. And she's too scared to confess to him. So you know what that means?" Clemont stayed silent. Bonnie nudged his arm with her shoulder while winking. "It means we're gonna have to, well, help Serena out. Now that she's got some thinking time, you know?"

Clemont gaped at his younger sister, who, despite her age, seemed to be much more socially aware than him. "Uh, what? Actually, you know what? I'll just follow your lead - tell me what I should do then, sis."

* * *

"Hey, are you still awake?"

Serena's eyes fluttered open. "Yeah... I can't sleep."

Ash smiled nervously. "Me neither. I hope i'm not moving too much?"

Serena shook her head tiredly. "No, don't worry... So what's the matter, Ash?"

Ash looked into her eyes. "Well... You've found and realised your dream, at long last. Have you thought about what you wanted to do now?"

Serena thought about it. "No... I'm not actually sure..."

Ash got up. "Well, there's no need to rush, after all, we've still got until the Kalos League to travel together, but obviously, if you figure out what you want to do now that you're the Kalos Queen, then that should be number one on your priorities, right?"

Serena lent on her elbow to be able to face him. "Actually, i want to accompany you to the Pokemon League. It just wouldn't be right if I left you when you never left me."

Ash stared at her in wonder. Then his face broke into a big smile. "Serena... That means a lot to me. Thank you... You're awesome, you know that?" He whispered.

Serena blushed heavily as she rested her head again and closed her eyes. "Oh Ash..." But inside, his words brought a certain tinge of despair to Serena's heart. They had until the League together. Then, Ash would go back to Kanto, and Serena couldn't exactly leave Kalos as one of its largest representatives, the Kalos Queen. After the Snowbelle Gym, and then after the League... She'll have to say goodbye.

She tried to shake off the hollow despair that began to gnaw at her.

* * *

A couple hours passed, until Ash awoke to the sound of sobbing. Serena's voice. He bolted upright and turned to the girl next to him. "Serena! Serena! What's going on?!" He urged, shaking her gently.

Serena's eyes opened slightly, and tears rolled out of them. "A-A-Ash... I just had a-a-a nightmare..." she gasped.

Ash put his hands on her shoulders. "Its okay, it's okay, I'm here. Deep breaths, okay?" He told her gently. She obliged, breathing in and out, slowly, her breaths unstable.

"It was about you..." She whispered when she had got her breath back.

Ash's brow furrowed. "Me? What do you mean?"

She dried her eyes with her pyjama sleeve. "I dreamt about when I saw you on TV when you were on Lumiose Tower, except Blaziken Mask never appeared in my dream. You... You..." Her eyes lost focus as they began to well up again.

Ash put his arm around her. "Listen, that's all in the past now... All that's left to think about now is the present, and the future. So don't give your nightmare a second thought, you got it?" He explained. Serena nodded slowly, Ash's soothing voice calming her down.

"Okay, I'll try..." She mumbled.

Ash smiled warmly. Then he looked out the window. Pitch black, and everywhere else was quiet. It must've be midnight, or very early morning. Ash tilted his head. "Well, it's pretty late. We should probably try and sleep, so we don't slow the group down tomorrow." he sighed.

Serena's eyes widened. "Oh yeah... Sorry!"

The two went back under the covers, but this time, Serena shuffled forward until she was touching her crush. She fell asleep again almost instantly. Ash blushed, but didn't pull away. Soon, he too was fast asleep.

* * *

**Slow paced, i get it. But trust me when i tell you this all is going according to plan - i've luckily mapped out the next 10 chapters. This series hopefully will be a long one. An amourshipping draft to say the least - and most certainly one i hope you all stay with me to enjoy.**

**Reviews:**

Guest: I can't believe this is your first story! You write better than most writers here!

**Thank you! I'm flattered - although, i should mention, this isn't my first story. It will be, however, my first GOOD story. I used to write many unironic emo badfics with terribly made OCs - but i'm well past that stage of my life, thank Arceus for that. I've gotten an education, written an essay on the history and evolution of death metal, and I've become a... Well, _established _writer.**

**Thank you all, have a good day.**

**Or in my case, good night.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Changing State of Mind

**Chapter 3: Changing state of mind**

* * *

Serena glared at the door, willing it to open, with Ash behind it. When Clemont walked in, looked to where she was looking, and then back to her. "He still isn't back yet, then?" He asked.

Serena clenched her fists in her lap. She then got up. "That's it. I'm going looking for him!" She said finally. Clemont frowned, but tossed her her coat anyway. "You go get him, and come back quickly, alright? If you don't come back, i'll come too." He sighed.

Serena nodded and dashed out the Pokemon Center, pulling her coat on as she ran. "_Ash, please... I know you've lost the battle after a streak of losses, but please... You can't just sit around like this, it isn't like you..._" she thought.

After about a couple of minutes, She saw a blue figure, sitting on a damp log, staring into space. "Ash!" She cried.

Ash looked up, and made eye contact with his friend. "Oh, hey Serena. Sorry if I worried you or anything." He sighed.

Serena sensed his frustration. "Listen, if you're feeling down, you can talk to me, okay?" She told him.

Ash shrugged. "I don't really want to drag you down in my issues. Especially when I can sort them out myself."

Serena shook her head. "It won't drag me down! Besides, we can give you advice, or help you-"

Ash glowered. "Advice? Sorry Serena, but I don't need advice right now. What I need is to stop being so useless."

"No Ash, you're not useless!" Serena exclaimed.

"Then what am I, Serena?!" He snapped. Serena took a step backwards. Ash had never raised his voice at her before. "When I can't even help Greninja achieve his power-"

"So _that's_ what this is about?!" yelled Serena.

"Of course it is! If I can't raise my Pokemon to reach their full potential, what good am I a trainer, huh?" He seethed.

She tried to manage a sincere smile, but her voice was shaky. "Ash, don't be so hard on yourself! All of us have been in the same position as you're in right now! Clemont losing control of Clembot... Even me! Remember when I lost-"

Ash jumped to his feet, his face contorted with anger. "Shut up! You don't have a clue how I feel! Especially you!" he raged.

Serena was crushed. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realised she currently had no respect for the boy standing in front of her. She had no faith in the reason she started travelling in the first place.

He carried on. "You and your pokemon are in perfect sync with each other! You won your showcase! So don't even act like you know what i'm feeling!"

"So just tell me about it!" She shouted. "You have that with your Pokemon, but you're just being blind right now!"

Ash glared at Serena, but he saw her upset face and felt awful. He knew he was in the wrong, that he had brought it on himself and he had just taken his frustration out on his friend, who was only trying to help.

He turned around, now just furious with himself. "Why can't you just leave me alone..?!"

A tear rolled down Serena's cheek. She couldn't see a trace of the old, kindhearted Ash in the current one.

Ash felt something cold and hard hit his head. He unconsciously felt the back of his head and turned around to see Serena holding a snowball in each hand. Her eyes were shadowed by her hat, her posture rigid.

"The Ash I know..." She muttered. "He would never be as cold and pathetic as you! The _real_ Ash is usually very optimistic, works hard to do his best, acts like a leader and never gives up until the end!"

Ash's eyes widened. She chucked a snowball at him again. "You, aren't the Ash that I know!" She screamed, throwing a second snowball with tears in her eyes, this one hitting him square in the forehead, knocking him over. She spun on her heels and ran back the way she came. Ash felt like calling after, but he was too dazed by her words. "The real Ash?" He repeated to himself. "The real Ash... Hnrrgggh."

His hands flew to his temples. "Arrrghhh!" He screamed. Several Furrets who were watching him got scared and scampered. "What have I done?!" He punched himself, but it was too cold for him to feel anything. "Oh boy... I gotta stop acting like this!" He declared loudly, not really talking to anybody. "Maybe if I go for a run, i'll snap out of it." He said casually. With that, he got to his feet and charged through the forest.

He hadn't noticed above him was a Pokemon looking down on him. His Greninja was watching over him, and he followed Ash from above, in the trees.

Ash ran.

And ran.

He hadn't a clue where he was going - he just knew that he wanted to continue until he ran out of breath, and then he would head back. He just wanted to cool his head for now. Figuring out how to get past Wulfric would not work if his mindset was too narrow.

"_Although, how AM I going to beat that Avalugg?" _Ash thought while running. "_Every time I attack, it uses avalanche. When I dodge, it covers the field with gyro ball._"

"I know!" He exclaimed. "If I can somehow knock it over when it uses gyro ball, that'll create my opening- waaahhh!"

Ash was too wrapped up in his thoughts to realise he had just ran off a cliff, and slipped down into the snow. He tumbled down and the gravity threw him again, making him land on his backside.

"Oof..." he grunted. He got up, and took in his surroundings. "Well, oh boy, I'm lost, aren't I." He moaned.

Just when he thought it couldn't get worse, he felt a cold prick on his arm. Then another. He looked to the sky, and realised it was snowing. The snow started to roll in faster. He grunted, and went to go back the way he came. But he couldn't see his footprints - the snow had covered it up!

Ash groaned. "_Oh great, now i'm stuck in a snowstorm with no shelter._" He zipped up his jacket and started to run, looking for anywhere that wasn't forest. Soon enough, he spotted a cave, and made a b-line to it.

Once he was inside, he dropped onto his knees, and sat down. "Guess i'll wait for the snow to settle, then i'll head back." He said to himself. "I've really messed up this time. I hope the others aren't looking for me, thats for sure."

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Pokemon Center, Clemont ran out onto the patio. He saw Serena on a bench outside, staring at the clouds with resentment.

"Serena, has Ash come back yet?!" He questioned, almost frantically.

No reply - not even a look in his general direction. Clemonts face fell as he realised she was definitely angry at Ash. Did they have an argument when she saw him?

Instead, he tapped his feet, to show impatience. "The forecast said its gonna be a blizzard. If he's still out there-"

He was interrupted by the sound of Serena punching the bench's arm. "Argh! I get it, I get it!" she yelled. got up and sped off again. This time, Clemont and Bonnie were behind her. Pikachu ran outside and gathered Fletchinder and Noivern.

"Pikapika!" He exclaimed to the Pokemon. They seemed to understand what it meant - 'Help me search for Ash!'. They took to the skies, and Pikachu sprinted after Serena, Clemont and Bonnie.

* * *

Ash was watching the snow fall for a while, but then he noticed there were several Pokemon staring back at him. He smiled to them. "Hey!" Some of them reared back. "Wanna stay with me? It's warmer in here!"

The Pokemon looked between each other, and very gingerly paced towards him. Soon the group huddled around him: An oddish, scatterbug, furret, budew and a zigzagoon in his lap. His mind immediately flashed to a memory from the summer camp he met Serena - when he was in a cave during a storm, he stayed warm with another group of Pokemon by his side. He smiled, remembering how that experience from summer camp was why he wanted to be a trainer. He stayed like this, his eyes on the weather, but then he noticed something strange about one of the trees outside the cave he was in. He checked closer - There was a group of Spewpa, all shivering, sat on the branches!

It took Ash two seconds to figure out what to do - He put his cap back on and left the cave, telling the Pokemon to stay and wait for him. He reached the tree and scaled it, picking up one Spewpa at a time and lowering them to the bottom of the tree.

"Alright, one to go." He muttered to himself. He climbed the tree again and crawled onto the branch, which had started to creak. "Come on Spewpa, come to me and i can get you back to your friends, into the warmth!"

The spewpa stared at him admiringly, and went to take a jump - and Ash caught it! "Yes! That was awesome!" He beamed. Unfortunately, the branch was cracking - and it quickly snapped.

Ash started hurtling down the mountainside with the Spewpa in arms, but then suddenly, the ground stopped rushing towards him. He looked up to see Greninja, his tongue stopping him from falling any further. "Greninja!" He yelled, relieved, but then his fingers numbed and his grip on Spewpa loosened. "No! Spewpa!" He called out. Suddenly, his vision sharpened, and to his eyes, the Spewpa fell in slow motion. It was the same feeling as Ash-Greninja; they had activated it once again. Greninja became cloaked in water, and it rushed down the mountainside.

Ash viewed it from Greninja's eyes, and directed his Pokemon out of the trees that rushed up too fast for him to notice. "To your left! Now stay right! Dodge it!" He told him. Greninja successfully navigated its way down, and caught the Spewpa in midair, returning to the top and transforming back into normal.

Ash sighed in relief. "Greninja, thanks a lot for helping me." He scratched his nose. "And, uh, sorry, if I worried you."

"Greninja!" The Pokemon said, raising its flipper for a high five. They placed the Spewpa group into the cave, just in time for the storm to finally die down.

"You know, Greninja, I did this once before, when I was a kid." He recalled. Greninja listened intently. "Yeah... Being with Pokemon made me so happy, i just knew I had to become a trainer so I can meet lots of Pokemon."

He hesitated, and then sighed again. "Greninja, I really was blind, Serena was right. I wanted my eighth badge so badly, that I got too worked up about it, and it ended up coming to bite me after all. I thought I should do it all as the trainer, and I lost focus of what teamwork is really about." He smiled at his friend. "When we saved Spewpa together, that was real teamwork. I could only do it because you were with me. So, if you would, I would really appreciate it if from now on, we worked together."

He stuck out his hand. Greninja's eyes wavered, and then he smiled, grasping Ash's hand firmly.

* * *

Serena, Clemont and Bonnie were in a cave also, waiting for the snow to stop, and when it did, they immediately left. Serena bit her lip. "I hope Ash is okay..." She muttered, but when she looked up again, there were two figures in front of her, their identity hidden by fog. They stepped closer-

"Ash!" Serena cried.

Ash smiled sheepishly. "Hey, Serena. Sorry about all the trouble I caused, and especially what I said before."

Serena stepped down. "Don't be, Ash..."

He shook his head. "No, I definitely should be. You were completely right, and I was just being awful. I've finally got it all back together now."

She beamed. "In that case, I forgive you. I'm glad you're back. The real Ash."

He smiled back at her. "I owe you one." And he leaned over to pat her on the shoulder, causing Serena to blush intensely. Bonnie stifled a giggle.

* * *

He swung the doors to the Snowbelle gym open again. "I'm back, Wulfric!"

The gym leader grinned. "You think you can beat me this time?"

Ash grinned back. "Think? I'm sure this time."

Wulfric guffawed. "Now that's what i like to hear! Well, let's get this started then! Bring out your first Pokemon Ash!"

The referee ran into position. "Wait, I need to explain the rules first!" He interrupted.

"Bah, what does it matter? We already know them! 3 Pokemon only, you lose if all three are knocked out! Isn't that right Ash?" He dismissed.

Ash nodded, scratching the back of his head. "Well then, Pikachu, i choose you, buddy!" He said to his partner next to him. Pikachu got onto its fours and pounced into the arena.

"Go, Bergmite!" Wulfric boomed, throwing a pokeball, to reveal his Pokemon.

"Bergmite, huh? Alright Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu lobbed a electrical sphere off its tail at Bergmite, who expertly slid on the ice. Ash grinned. "I knew it! Alright Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu jumped above the icicle Pokemon, and its tail turned silver.

"Bergmite, Icy Wind!" ordered Wulfric. It fired a rush of cold wind at Pikachu, but that didn't stop the electric mouse from crashing a blow on Bergmite's head. The Pokemon staggered back.

"Pikachu, keep on it with Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted again.

Pikachu charged its specialty, and unleashed a torrent of lightning upon the ice type.

"Alright Bergmite, use Sharpen!" Wulfric grunted. The Pokemons body hardened, the icicles on it building up until it was completely encased in ice. "Now Rapid Spin!"

With surprising speed, Bergmite sailed towards Pikachu, knocking it high up into the air and dealing major damage.

Clemont gritted his teeth while watching. "Sharpen is a move that increases the users attack power by sharpening its edges!" He explained intensely to his companions.

Ash looked at Pikachu. "You alright, buddy?" Pikachu turned back and nodded.

Ash took a moment, and then an idea came. "Alright Pikachu, circle Bergmite with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu complied, charging towards Bergmite, but veering off around it. Bergmite chased after it, but the ice caked on Pikachu's legs melted away. "Now hit it!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu spun on its back paws and tackled the Bergmite, knocking it over. "Quick, use Iron Tail!" Ash called.

Again, Pikachu's tail went metallic and he swung it into Bergmites head. The damage was too much - it fainted.

"Bergmite is unable to battle!" The ref declared.

Wulfric returned his pokemon. "Impressive." He growled. He stared at his next Pokeball, and threw. "Go Avalugg!"

Ash faced Pikachu. "Alright buddy, now here's where the battle really heats up! Thunderbolt, go!"

Pikachu leapt into the air, and fired a powerful ray of lightning at Avalugg, inflicting damage.

"Avalugg, use Avalanche!" Wulfric boomed.

Pikachu was hit by the falling snowstorm, but managed to get out. "Pikachu, run!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu sprinted to the side. "Avalugg, stop it with Gyro Ball!" commanded Wulfric.

Avalugg started to spin towards Pikachu; It looked like there was no escape. However, Ash grinned. "Pikachu, nows our chance! Strike the ground with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu obeyed, its tail turning silver in colour and smashing against the battlefield. The ice cracked and shot up, causing the iceberg to topple over.

"What?!" Wulfric exclaimed, shocked. "Alright then Avalugg, use Stone Edge!"

Avalugg got to its feet and struck the ground, causing rocks to come out of the earth. Pikachu barely dodged them unscathed.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack, and then run!"

Wulfric exhaled sharply. "Gyro Ball, go!"

The two Pokémon collided, but Pikachu was easily overpowered by Avalugg's sheer weight. He was thrown ruthlessly onto the ice, unconscious.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" Stated the referee.

Ash rushed over to Pikachu, and gently picked him up. "You've done really well, buddy. You can take a good rest now." He soothed. Ash carried him to where his companions sat. "Hey Serena!" He called. "Can you take care of Pikachu?"

"You got it!" Said Serena, picking up the electric mouse and placing him in her lap.

Ash rushed back, Pokeball in hand. "Greninja! I choose you!"

The frog Pokémon emerged, prepared for battle.

"Okay Greninja, let's do this." Ash grinned. "We're gonna grow stronger, together. Let's win this!" Once again, Ash felt his senses heighten and his adrenaline race. Greninja transformed immediately, once again enveloped in water.

Clemont watched on, awed. "He's done it! He's figured out how to trigger Greninja's true power!"

"Now that's the true Ash, the one that I know." Serena glowed.

"Greninja!" Ash said, from within Greninja's own mind. "Use Cut!"

Greninja charged forward, and Wulfric couldn't predict what move Greninja was using - the blade connected with Avalugg's head; a direct hit.

"Avalugg! Avalanche!" The panicked Gym leader bellowed.

"Okay Greninja, dodge it by moving forward!" Ash said, hoping that the luck part of his plan would work in his favour.

"Big mistake!" Laughed Wulfric. "Avalugg, Gyro Ball, now!"

Avalugg prepared to spin, but it couldn't. Wulfric's eyes narrowed in horror. He focused on his Pokémon, and noticed it was sparking with electricity.

Clemont jumped up and punched the air. "Incredible!" He cried. "Pikachu's ability, static, must've activated when Pikachu was hit by the Gyro Ball, meaning Avalugg can't move and thus can't punish dodging Avalanche, which must've been Ash's plan all along!"

Ash smiled. "Finish him off with Aerial Ace!" He shouted. Greninja sprinted forward again, so fast it wasn't visible for a split second, and hit the iceberg Pokémon, breaking the icy stage around its feet, knocking it out.

"Avalugg is unable to battle!" Said the referee.

Wulfric's determined grimace turned into a satisfied grin. "I must say, that was a remarkable strategy you pulled off there, Ash. Let's see if you can carry this on! Go, Abomasnow!"

Wulfric whipped out a pokeball and threw it into the field. Out came the Abomasnow Ash fought against before.

Ash focused. This wasn't over yet; he couldn't get complacent now. "Greninja, use Water Shuriken!" He told his pokémon.

Greninja leapt into the air, a huge Water Shuriken expanding on its back. He clutched it, and threw it at the Abomasnow, who staggered backwards.

"Abomasnow, use Wood Hammer!" Wulfric commanded. Abomasnow summoned the hammer, but couldn't move. Like before, its feet were frozen!"

Ash saw his chance. "Greninja, Cut, now!"

The fleeing Greninja made a U-turn and prepared another Cut, so powerful it broke the ice at Abomasnows feet when it hit.

"Follow it up with Aerial Ace!"

Wulfric tried his last. "Abomasnow, Blizzard!"

It was no use. Not even the entire move could stop Greninja - it impacted the Abomasnow and sent it reeling back to Wulfric. The final knockout.

The referee stuck his hand in the air. "Abomasnow is unable to battle, so the victor is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!"

Ash leapt into the air and high fives his frog Pokémon. "We did it! We beat Wulfric!"

Wulfric stepped over to him, holding out the badge. "Congratulations, Ash! That was an exciting battle you gave me. You've earned this Iceberg Badge." With that, he dropped the badge into Ash's open palm.

Ash closed his hand around it. "Yes!" He yelled at the sky. "I've got, the iceberg badge!" all his Pokémon joined in the cheer as well.

* * *

Ash waited at the Pokémon for his two Pokémon to be healed. After a while, Nurse Joy wheeled out a cart with Greninja's Pokeball and Pikachu. "Pikachu!" Ash cried, holding his friend in his arms.

Clemont looked pleased. "So Ash, all eight badges!"

Ash grinned. "That's right! I'd better train hard for the League!"

"Ash, Clemont, look!" Serena said. She showed the two her map, and Bonnie took a look as well. "The League's taking place in Lumiose City!"

"Awesome!" The three exclaimed in unison.

Ash got up. "We've gotta get there now then!" He shouted. "Let's go!" He turned around and rushed out of the Pokémon Center, followed closely by Serena and Bonnie, and not so closely by Clemont.

* * *

**Whew! This was pretty difficult to recall from memory! In fact, I completely made up the last part of that battle with Wulfric. Thanks for reading, and have a nice day!**

**Reviews****:**

Well this seems a bit interesting, needs more amourshipping moment my dude

**I do agree - this is quite lacking of amourshipping moments sadly - I've tried to incorporate more into the story (without it becoming filler) but I've written it to be quite strictly in line with the real story. but, I will try, after all this is an amourshipping fiction!**


	4. Chapter 4: Kalos League Conversation

**Chapter 4: Kalos League Conversation**

* * *

The sign was just up ahe**a**d. Ash darted for it - "Welcome to Lumiose City", it read. He stopped outside the checkpoint between Lumiose and Route 16 in an attempt to regain his breath.

"Wow... we made it..." He panted. "The Lumiose Conference, the place where the Kalos League will be held!"

He was followed by Serena, who had struggled to keep up. "I can... tell you're excited... But could you... not at least... wait for us?" she berated him between her gulps of air. Ash looked confused, and then saw in the distance, Bonnie and Clemont, the latter of which was collapsed on his knees, gasping. Ash jogged back to them.

"Oh man, i'm really sorry!" he apologised.

Clemont shook his head, and spat, which made Bonnie rear back in revulsion. "Don't... worry about it. It's finally time for the League, I completely understand." he said, after he got his breath back.

Ash nodded, and they entered the city, his nerves making him slightly jumpy and restless.

Pikachu's ears pricked up out of the blue. "Pikapi?" he said.

Ash turned to his partner. "What is it buddy?" he asked.

Pikachu's cheeks sparked suddenly. "Pika pikachu!" he cried, gesturing for them to follow. Pikachu rushed off, with Ash and the others in pursuit. What they saw was... Surprising, to say the least.

"Wow!" Ash remarked. "Its a group of Pikachu!"

He was right - and Pikachu had just received and followed a friendly static **m**essage from one of them. He went over to greet them.

"Pikapika?"

"Pika! Pi, pikachu!"

Ash slowly walked over. "Ash! Serena! Clemont! Bonnie!" a voice exclaimed. Ash turned around - it was Jean!

"Jean! Long time no see!" Serena said. Ash remembered - the girl who's grandfather was the movie director and Pikachu enthusiast. That meant, Ash guessed, that this group was hers and Frank's pokemon.

"So Jean!" Clemont started. "What're you doing all the way here in Lumiose?"

She pushed her index fingers together. "Well, I have two reasons. You see, these little Pikachu really admire your Pikachu, Ash." She explained. Pikachu scratched his head, flattered. "They wanted to watch his battle in person, but because grandfather is too busy taking care of the manor, he couldn't come, but he said he'll definitely be watching."

Ash grinned. "Wow, that's awesome!" then he tilted his head. "Oh, what about your second reason?"

Jean suddenly looked quite sheepish. "Well, urm, the main reason, is... Do you all remember Pikachu Popstar?"

The four nodded, Serena's face in particular brightening. "Yeah!" she mentioned. "She was the one in that lovely dress! I could tell she liked to perform, because she seemed to do quite a nice little dance whenever she could, it was really fun to watch!"

The aforementioned Pikachu in the pink dress, named 'Popstar', climbed onto Jeans shoulder playfully, but she was watching Serena with shining, admiring eyes.

Jean laughed nervously. "Wow, Serena, it's great that you'd say that, because actually, she's a big fan **o**f you."

Serena looked taken aback. "Who, me?"

She nodded. "Yeah, Grandfather showed us the Master Class and Popstar was completely struck by it. She binge watched all of your performances on PokeVision."

Serena put a hand over her chest. "That's so sweet of her!"

Jean was playing with her hands. "So yeah, uh, what I'm trying to ask is... If it isn't too much trouble... She wants to come with you!" Jean said, bowing as she said the last sentence.

Serena didn't seem disdainful in the slightest - instead she felt excited. "You really mean it? Popstar, is this true?"

The pink-clad Pikachu nodded profusely, and rolled onto its stomach in front of Serena, as if pleading.

Serena knelt down, patting Popstar on the head. "Oh, sweetie, if that's what you want, I would love you on our team!"

The Pokémon looked up at Serena, her eyes sparkling. "Pikachuuu!" she squeaked with delight. Serena pulled out three Pokeballs from her dress, and chucked them into the air. Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon appeared next to Serena. Popstar was starstruck - her three idols that were originally on a stage were now in front of her, greeting her politely.

"Hey you three!" Serena beamed at them. "This little Pikachu wanted to come with us! Whaddaya say?"

The three of them looked delighted. They turned to each other, and then to the Pikachu.

Sylveon stepped forward, a ribbon from her mane extending to stroke the astonished yellow mo**u**se.

"Sylvy, Sylveon!"

"Cha~!" Popstar cried, eyes radiating with admiration.

"Well, here you go then, Popstar!" Serena grinned. She pulled out a free Pokeball and Popstar tapped it happily, being absorbed in a rush of red light. the ball didnt shake once before clicking, showing that the Pikachu-Popstar had been caught.

"Yippee!" Squealed Serena, holding the ball in the air. "I've just caught a Pikachu!"

Ash came over to her, his fists balled up and by his face, which happened to have an awed expression on it. "Serena, congratulations! That's incredible, really!"

Jean began to move away. "Thank you so much Serena, I'm sure she'll do well. Anyway, best of luck in the Pokémon League Ash, we'll be cheering you on from the gallery!" and she left, surrounded by the Pikachu. Children stared and pointed excitedly at them as they walked.

"And now!" Ash grinned. "It's time... To head to the Lumiose Conference!"

Serena put away her newly-filled Pokeball, and turned to Ash. "Yeah!"

Then he frowned. "So, uh, do you know where it is?"

Serena stopped, and then gasped. "Oh right!"

Clemont pushed his glass forward and smirked. "Don't worry, just follow me!" The others complied, and headed to a huge building in the midst of some trees.

"There it is!" Ash yelled. "The Kalos League! And i'm winning it this time!"

Suddenly, a woman with pink hair approached Ash. "Excuse me! Are you taking part in the Kalos League Tournament?" She asked.

"Yeah!" Ash replied.

"That's great! May I ask for a quick interview?"

Ash looked confused, but nodded. "Sure."

She smiled sweetly. "Thank you!" Then a film crew, who looked strangely familiar, started filming Ash.

"Nice to meet you! My name is Malva. And you are?"

"I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town, in the Kanto region!" He answered. Overhead, there were screens broadcasting what he was saying.

"So what are you competing fo**r**?" She questioned.

Ash blinked. "Well, to win, of course! I'm gonna go through, battle after battle, to the finals, and then win it and become the champion!" He answered, grinning.

"That's a wonderful answer!" She smiled. "Best of luck to you, Ash Ketchum!" She said, before walking off.

Clemont stepped in front of Ash. "Ash, you gotta hurry and sign in, or you won't be able to compete!" he hurried. Ash's eyes widened, and they ran towards the entrance.

As they were running, a boy with an orange mohawk moved into their way. "So! You're the kid competing in the League, huh?" He snarled.

Ash nodded, suspicion evident in his expression. "Alright then," the boy continued, "Seeing as you think you're gonna win, let's battle! Go, Furfrou!"

A Furfrou appeared. It's fur was braided with orange hair over its forehead, similar to its trainer.

"You're on!" Ash grinned, pulling out a Pokeball. He went to throw it, but his arm was grabbed by Serena.

"Ash, no! We don't have time for this! You need to register, now!" She insisted, before dragging Ash with her.

Ash sighed, and followed her. "Sorry about this. Maybe next time." He explained to the trainer.

After some explaining, and several sighs of relief, Ash was fully signed up for the tournament, and waiting for the placings to begin.

"Whew!" Ash sighed. "We made it in time!"

Serena couldn't agree more. "What a relief..."

"Ash! Serena!" Came a voice from behind them. They **s**pun around.

"Trevor, Tierno! Long time no see!" Ash replied, upon sighting his friends whom he had developed a friendly rivalry with. "I'm guessing you two are competing, then!"

"Thats right!" Tierno said excitedly. Except then his eyes immediately jumped to Serena. "And Serena! I am very happy to see you again!" He smiled, only to receive a hesitant, and slightly unnerved smile back.

"Uh, thank you?" She replied while staring at the door, in the hopes that Shauna would appear out of the blue and stop Tierno, and this awkward situation. Even Ash unconsciously cringed watching.

However, as he was about to continue, a voice came out of the room's speakers, interrupting his train of thought. "The battle's for round one have been decided!" It announced.

A screen on the wall in that room lit up and showed a list of all the battles - specifically, two trainer's icons and a number next to them, to represent the order of the matches.

"Wow! I'm in the first match!" Trevor declared.

Ash looked up. He was correct, Trevor was indeed first on the list - and his opponent was someone Ash recognised. Alain. Ash remembered **h**im as the boy with the insanely strong Mega Charizard X, who was doing research on Mega Evolution and whom he befriended after helping him learn about the Ash-Greninja phenomenon.

Ash looked back at Trevor. "You'd better be careful. You're facing Alain, and he's... Well, he's really good. He's beaten me multiple times."

Trevor looked surprised, but his expression didn't waver. "I reckon I'll be okay - I have a secret weapon, after all!"

Ash's eyes lit up. "Secret weapon?! Can you tell me?"

Trevor sighed. "I can't! It wouldn't be a secret otherwise!"

His face fell. "Oh, right. That's fine then." He turned back to the board, to see when his battle was. He didn't have trouble finding it - It was right below Trevor - the second match of the first round. Ash looked at who his opponent was, and then scanned the room. He locked eyes with his foe, and they shared a friendly smile before they both turned around again.

"Well, I'd better head off to my battle right away!" Trevor said, making to leave. "I'll see you guys later!"

The six of them waved, and each wished "Good luck!" to him.

Soon, they all (bar Trevor) had made their way into the stadium's seats, and waited as the crowds poured **i**nto the gallery and as the tension raised.

Bonnie looked wide-eyed at the substantial number of people who had come to watch. "There must be thousands!" She said aloud.

Clemont nodded. "Pokémon Leagues are the biggest global events in history. In fact, compared to regions such as Hoenn and Sinnoh, Kalos is actually a bit smaller in population." He stated.

Serena was too busy taking in the atmosphere to join in their conversation. It felt nothing like her showcases - the air was tense rather than comforting, It was also way larger and much more in the open.

"I'm really nervous for Trevor's sake!" Shauna sighed. "After all, when it comes to performances, you have all the practice that you did, but in this it seems like no matter how much training you do, you've got no real way of knowing your opponent until the battle itself..."

Tierno waved his hand. "Nah, thats where the challenge is! You've gotta be able to adapt on the fly, just like dancing! Besides, if Trevor plays things smart then he'll have a chance!"

* * *

A voice seemed to fill the air. "The first battle of the first round in this year's Kalos League is about to begin! We have Trevor the Photographer, versus Alain, who's set out to research everything about Mega Evolution!"

As if on cue, Trevor appeared on one side, and Alain on the other, followed by a huge round of applause above them.

"For each match, a different battlefield will be selected at random to keep each match unique from the last! For our first round, it shall be a rocky battlefield!"

The land in front of Trevor and Alain sank slowly into the floor, and was replaced by a different floor - just like how it was mentioned, the field had a river in the center leading up to a rocky hill.

The two competitors walked slowly to the center, until they stood face to face. They shook hands and returned to their spaces, their expression determined.

A referee also walked to the middle edge to deliver the rules. "Each trainer may use three **P**okémon for this battle, and they will be out when all three are unable to continue! Are you both ready?"

Trevor and Alain simultaneously readied the Pokémon they were going to start off with.

"You may begin!"

"Let's go!" Trevor called. "Charizard!"

He threw the Pokeball into the arena, and it unleashed a bright red light, shaping into a massive creature, to reveal an orange dragonlike Pokemon with a pair of wings and a flame lit on the end of its tail. On its tail it wore a band that had a bright orange gemstone within it.

Ash's eyes brightened. "Wow!" He exclaimed. "Trevor's Charmeleon musta evolved into Charizard!"

Meanwhile, Alain unconsciously smiled. "Charizard, come out!" He threw his own Pokeball, and another Charizard appeared, facing off against Trevor's.

The commentator from before sounded ecstatic when he spoke. "Wow! Both trainers are starting out with Charizard! This seems to be shaping u**p** to be an interesting first match!"

The two dragons faced off with one another. "Guess we're going first then!" Trevor concluded. "Charizard, use Fire Spin!"

A jet of roaring flame spiralled towards its opponent. "Charizard, dodge it!" Alain commanded.

Alain's Charizard soared into the air, and set its sights on Trevor's. "Now you use Flamethrower!"

It breathed its own flame back at Trevor's Charizard. "Use Dragon Claw on it!" Trevor yelled.

His Charizard's claws started to glow a pale green colour, which attacked the flamethrower, splitting it until it was rendered useless. Meanwhile Alain's Charizard, after its attack, descended to the rocky floor.

Trevor grabbed his camera. "Alright Charizard, there's no need to hold back! Are you ready?" He called out to his Pokemon, who looked back at him and nodded, snorting a meager fire.

Trevor moved his finger towards the capture button on his camera, which had been replaced by a key stone - Which Ash recognised as the same object as what Professor Sycamore, Diantha and Alain had - the peculiar gem that allowed Pokemon to mega evolve.

He tapped the stone with his nail. "Mega evolve!" He shouted. The stone shone brilliantly, and shot out a ray of light, one after the other, which connected with the gem on his Charizard's tail. Charizard became wrapped in light, and it began to transform. When it reappeared from the light, it looked slightly different - A third horn had spiked out from its head and its wings more jagged.

Alain's face gave away his astonishment. "Let us do the same!" He yelled. "Respond to my heart, and go beyond evolution... Mega evolve!" He tapped the key stone on his wristband, which had the exact effect as Trevor's. Charizard glowed, and amidst the glow its scales turned from orange to black and a blue flame emanated from its mouth.

"What an event!" The commentator cried. "This battle has turned into a 1 on 1, mega Charizard fight! A battle this incredible is sure to keep us all on the edge of our seats!"

Trevor gritted his teeth. "Alright Charizard, heatwave, let's go!"

Charizard roared, releasing a rampaging fire towards the dark Charizard. "Block it with water, quickly!" Alain shouted. His Charizard struck the river it stood next to, sending up a pillar of water that stopped and deadened the heatwave.

"Keep up the pressure, Charizard! Dragon Tail!" Trevor yelled. Charizard flew towards it's black counterpart and aimed its tail, which had started to glow, at it.

Alain's eyes darted up. "To the right, now!" He called. His Charizard responded by moving in that direction, dodging its enemy's attack.

"Fire Spin!" Trevor yelled.

"Flamethrower!" Alain yelled.

The two attacks sauntered towards each other, and collided hugely, shrouding the colosseum in smoke. Nothing was visible anymore.

Trevor's eyes moved back and forth as he waited for an opportunity. He exhaled sharply, disappointed. "Charizard, get out of that cloud!" He commanded. His Charizard hesitated, and then lifted into the air, appearing from the smoke.

Alain on the other side grinned. "Okay Charizard, now's our chance! Wait for it..."

His eyes watched the opposing Charizard in wait, as it slowly cruised above the cloud.

"Now! Flamethrower!" Alain ordered. All of a sudden, a stream of blue flame punched out of the cloud, striking the orange Charizard and sending it reeling back to the ground.

"Charizard, no!" Trevor cried. His Charizard had taken serious damage, but it managed to get back to its feet, ready to continue.

* * *

Ash was intensely watching the battle, when his pocket buzzed. He pulled out a small receiver. Each competitor in the Kalos League was given a small receiver, and if they buzzed, they needed to head to the lobby immediately to be allowed entry to their next battle.

He put the receiver away and turned to his right, where his friends sat next to him. "Alright, I gotta leave for my battle now! I'll see you all later!" He told them.

"Good luck!" They all responded. Ash got up, and headed out of the gallery and down the empty hallway, where the battle was being shown on a screen. He glanced at it and continued running, but skidded to a halt. A boy with a mohawk had stepped in his way. The boy from before.

"Well well." He snarled. "It's you again. Now we can battle!"

Ash shook his head firmly. "Sorry, i got a league battle to head to."

"What's the matter, running away again?" He taunted.

Ash growled, his hand reaching to his Pokeballs, but he stopped himself. "_Last time, if Serena hadn't been there, i wouldn'tve been able to compete. I can't throw that now, for the same reason_." He thought to himself.

"Again, sorry, but i've got a battle I need to head to." He repeated. "Now please move out of my way."

"No!" The boy hissed. His expression was ugly and contorted, and he had dark marks under his eyes, indicating a lack of sleep. "If you aren't budgin' for me, I ain't for you then!"

Ash fumed. "Why aren't you worried about your own battle, huh?!" He snapped. Suddenly the boy stiffened, and didn't reply.

He suddenly realised what was going on. "Are you even competing?!" he demanded. The boy looked down, biting his lip.

Ash growled. "If you're gonna act all tough when you aren't battling yourself, whether you didn't get all eight badges or just didn't make it in time, you have no right to try and stop me." He told him harshly. "Now move out of my way."

The boy stood their, facing away from Ash. He clenched his fists, then stomped to the side, and walked past him. Ash shrugged to himself, and left through the door the boy had previously blocked and went through it.

"Ash Ketchum?" A woman asked him when he had made it to the lobby.

"Yeah, thats me, sorry i'm late." He responded, scratching his head.

The woman nodded. "That's alright. Just follow me, i'll show you to the match."

* * *

Back in the battlefield, Trevor was with his last Pokemon, as was Alain.

"Florges!" Trevor yelled. "Use Moonblast!"

The flower Pokemon leapt up, and waved an incantation at the sky. A ball of pink dust appeared, and the Florges threw it at its opponent.

"Hit it back with Meteor Mash!" Alain called.

His Metagross crossed its arms and pounced towards the Moonblast, dicing it instantly. The debris was sent flying towards the falling Florges, who was unable to do anything except take the blow. It crashed onto the ground, unconscious.

"No!" Trevor screamed.

"Florges is unable to battle! That means Metagross is the winner, and the first round goes to Alain!" The referee announced. The screen above the stadium flashed with Alain's face icon, along with the words 'WINNER' by it.

Trevor and recalled his Pokemon. "You did amazing, Florges. Take a good rest." He sighed as he gazed at the screen. "We really lost, huh?" He felt disappointed, but no resentment. After all, it was a fair bout, and he at least put up a good fight. Trevor and Alain turned around and walked away, until they were both out of the colosseum.

"After a brilliant battle," the commentator declared, "the next match is about to begin, between Titus, and Ash Ketchum!"

Surprisingly, when Ash's name was mentioned, the audience let out a giant cheer. "Now Ash of course is competing in this league, a well respected name after his participations in the leagues of some other regions prior to this year's Lumiose Conference!"

The three who had been travelling with Ash was not expecting to have heard that, now of all places. "Wow, really?!" Bonnie shouted.

Clemont's face was also shocked. "I guess so... That's really something, after all, the League does carry a lot of weight to its name."

"I wonder why he's never told us anything about it though?" Serena pondered aloud. She had no time to question though, as Ash appeared onto the stadium, as well as another boy with short brown hair and a thick blue coat.

"Now it's time to change the pitch! This time, it'll be a grass field!"

The referee entered the pitch again. "Same rules as before!" He stated. "Each trainer may use three Pokémon, and they will be out when all three are unable to continue!"

Ash nodded, and the boy, Titus, did also. "If you're both ready," The referee said, backing off the battlefield, "You may begin!"

Titus pulled out a Pokeball, and threw it. "Altaria, come on out!"

Ash grinned widely. "Altaria, huh? Well then..." He gripped a Pokeball, and brought it to his chest. "Greninja, I choose you!"

He threw the ball, and his faithful frog Pokemon appeared from it. "Alright Greninja," Ash smiled. "Let's win this, together!"

* * *

**And that is the end of Chapter 4! Hope you all enjoyed it. Seeing as the Kalos League battles in the anime were, in my opinion, kind of lackluster, I've decided I'll try and add a little more to it, as I demonstrated above.**

**Reviews:**

**You wrote Weavile is the winner instead of Metagross**

Yep, my bad, I've fixed that now XD I really don't know how did that.

**Thank you all for reading, and I'll see you next chapter!**

**P.S. OH NO, I'VE JUST NOTICED THAT MY PFP WAS THE FANFIC THUMBNAIL. no wonder it was so unpopular. So I scrolled through some nice amour pictures on twitter and rolled with it. sorry!!**


	5. Chapter 5: The past shall aid the future

**Chapter 5: The past shall aid**** the future**

* * *

"If you're both ready," The referee said, backing off the battlefield, "You may begin!"

Titus pulled out a Pokeball, and threw it. "Altaria, come on out!"

Ash grinned widely. "Altaria, huh? Well then..." He gripped a Pokeball, and brought it to his chest. "Greninja, I choose you!"

He threw the ball, and his faithful frog Pokemon appeared from it. "Alright Greninja," Ash smiled. "Let's win this, together!"

* * *

"Altaria, use Dragon Pulse!" The boy Titus commanded. The blue bird rose and breathed a purple flame that hailed onto the frog, who had no time to do anything except block it.

"Greninja, you okay?!" Ash called out. Greninja nodded.

"Now Draco Meteor!"

Altaria then spat out a huge rock from it's beak, which split into numerous meteor-like projectiles that started to fall onto the battlefield.

The commentators voice kicked in. "This Draco Meteor looks exceptionally powerful! Things are looking grim for Ash's Greninja!"

Ash gritted his teeth. "No way! Greninja, let's bring the fight to them!

Greninja leapt forward, keen to respond, steeling himself for the transformation. "Okay then, let's do this! _Stronger, and stronger! We're gonna give it our all!_" Ash screamed. Greninja became enveloped in the water torrent and his eyes and head glowed red. Time slowed down in Greninja and Ash's eyes as Greninja, with the help of Ash in his head, navigated the onslaught of meteorite bullets raining down.

The attack ended, and Greninja escaped unscathed. After the display the crowd burst into a wild cheering. Alain and Sawyer beamed while watching. "_Guess he finally mastered the transformation!_" They both thought.

"Go!" Ash yelled. A Water Shuriken had formed on his Pokemon's back - one that was of a much larger size than the average shuriken. Greninja pulled it into its grip and frisbee'd it at the soaring Altaria, which crashed and hit it, causing serious damage. Greninja jumped backwards as the bird hit the floor.

"Altaria!" Titus shouted. The bird got back onto its talons, though wobbly, hurt but ready to continue.

"Ah..." He panicked upon seeing the changed Greninja charging back at them. "U-use Peck, quickly!"

Altaria moved at a similar speed to Greninja, it's beak hardening for a strong Peck attack. "Greninja, counter with an Aerial Ace!" Ash yelled. The two Pokemon almost flew at each other, and their attacks collided. Greninja raced past and stopped dead. It turned around. Altaria was hit.

The referee stared at Titus's Pokemon as it lay collapsed in the grass. "Altaria is unable to battle!"

Titus returned the bird, muttering "It's okay, you did really well, Altaria." and grabbed his next Pokeball, tossing it into the air.

Serena jumped out of her seat. "Yes! Ash did it!" She exclaimed.

Bonnie seemed just as excited, while Clemont's face remained aloof, but visibly relieved. "Yeah!" He agreed. "He just has two more Pokemon to beat, and he's in the second round!"

The battle raged on, as Tierno and Sawyer left to train for their own upcoming matches.

* * *

"Pangoro is unable to battle, so the victory goes to Ash!" The referee declared. Ash jumped up and punched the air in triumph. Noivern traipsed over to him, and Ash gave him a fistbump. "Noivern, you were brilliant!" Ash grinned. He pulled out a Pokeball. "Cmon, lets get you some rest."

The commentator was fired up as he spoke; "What an exciting match! Let's give our congratulations to Ash!"

Titus walked over to Ash, resignation clearly written into his expression, although he smiled. "Well done, Ash Ketchum." He said, almost as a sigh. "You clearly trained your Pokemon really well. You earned this one."

Ash smiled. "That really means a lot, thanks."

Titus raised his head, frowning a bit. "Honestly though, lemme give you a word of advice. You know mega evolution? I bet it's definitely gonna play a huge part in this years League. A couple of my friends who are entering have key and mega stones, and their Pokemon would most likely cream mine, any day. And those are just my friends. I reckon you should watch out." He warned.

Ash nodded, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. "I getcha." Then his grin returned. "Don't worry about me. I got an idea." Ash held out his hand to him, and he took it. They shook, and parted ways back to the lobby.

* * *

"Ash!" shouted Serena, Clemont and Bonnie in unison. Serena held out her hand for a high five. "First round, you did it!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"That's right! And that's just the first. I gotta be prepared for the next round!" He said, slapping Serena's hand. They all listened intently to what he was about to say. "For these next rounds... Who am I gonna use..?" Ash asked himself aloud. They stayed silent. "Hmm... You know what? I got it!" Ash exclaimed.

He ran off suddenly, leaving his friends quite confused. "Ash!" Clemont called after him. "Where are you... ack!" He gave up talking and instead proceeded to chase after the trainer. Bonnie and Serena took off as well in pursuit."

Ash stopped when he reached a room with a computer and a strange machine next to it. He turned the computer, and dialled a number. When the three caught up with him, he was sitting down in front of the screen.

"Ash, you can't just sprint off like that!" Serena scolded.

Ash scratched his head sheepishly. "Sorry! I was just gonna call professor Oak."

Clemont's eyes lit up. "Woah, you know the esteemed researcher Professor Oak?!" He questioned.

Ash nodded, smiling. "Yeah, he lives in a lab by Pallet Town, and he keeps the Pokemon I send back to him, so that they have a place to stay and all that."

Bonnie looked ecstatic. "Oh wow! I wanna see them!"

"You're in luck then - that's exactly what I was planning." Ash grinned. Bonnie jumped for joy, but was interrupted when the computer picked up the call.

"RIRIRI!" screeched the microphone. An orange face with huge blue eyes appeared to cover the entire screen. They all, except Ash, reared back from the computer. Ash appeared unfazed by the terrifying sight. "Oh, hey Rotom!" he greeted.

An kind elderly voice came from behind the face. "Oh come on Rotom, you do this every time!" A pair of hand appeared by the face, grabbing the creature. Suddenly, an explosion occured at the other end. Ash cringed, while the other three stared concernedly at the screen. After a few seconds, Oak's face came into view; although it was sooty and his hair was puffed from the attack, his expression was as still light-hearted as Ash always remembered it.

"Hey Ash! How's it going!?" Oak asked, beaming.

Ash nodded slowly. "Just fine, thanks! I'm currently at the Kalos League, but I needed a favour."

The old professor winked at him. "Ah, let me guess, you wish to transfer a Pokemon!"

Ash nodded again. "Yep, exactly that. Seems like competition is gonna be really tough this time around."

"So who are you going to take, and who are you leaving?"

Ash pondered for a moment. "Hmm... How about Buizel? Oh, and Krookodile too!"

Clemont and Serena stared wide-eyed at Ash as he spoke so casually about Pokemon they hadn't even seen before.

Oak smiled. "Sure thing! I'll just get their Pokeballs, but Ash..."

Ash tilted his head. "Yeah?"

"Aren't you gonna introduce me to your friends?"

Ash's eyes widened. "Oh right! I can't believe I haven't already! Everybody, this is Professor Oak!"

The four of them waved at the screen.

"I'm Serena, nice to meet you!"

"I'm Clemont!"

"And I'm Bonnie!"

"What lovely names, i'll be sure to remember them!" Oak said cheerfully.

Suddenly, Serena looked as though she wanted to ask a question. "Uh, Professor?" she asked meekly.

"Yes?" He beamed.

"Um, i was wondering if you remembered me... I was at your summer camp about 10 years ago."

Oak chuckled nervously. "Ahaha, I've hosted a lot of summer camps, of course, until all the children grew up and left Pallet Town."

"Oh, oh well." Serena sighed.

Oak continued to look at her however. "Hang on a moment! Are you the girl that wore a straw hat, whose mother is Grace, the Rhyhorn racer?"

Serena beamed. "Yep, that's the one!"

Oak smiled back. "Yes, now I remember! You used to always hang around with young Ash! Ah, yes, those were some memories, him leading you by the hand and the two of you would go chasing Butterfree or catching Magikarp-" he stopped himself when he saw Serena blushing intensely.

"Oh dear, I'm getting off track! Now Ash, i've got your Pokeballs right here, but who are you sending back?"

Ash was waiting patiently while Oak talked to Serena, but he seemed relieved and pulled out a Pokeball and set it down on the machine. "I'm going to send back Noivern, but could you stay in touch, because I have a feeling I might need to make multiple switches for these rounds."

Oak nodded. "That's totally fine! I can't wait to meet your Noivern! Alexa's one was absolutely fascinating!"

Ash sweat-dropped, remembering the incident. "Haha... Be careful not to overdo it with the research, okay? Last time that Noivern nearly took your head off."

Oak shrugged. "Oh, I'll be fine! The best way of researching is to experience it firsthand, as I always say! Anyway, good luck in the Kalos League! I'm rooting for you!"

The screen went black, and Noivern's Pokeball disappeared. Soon, it was replaced by two different ones. Ash looked at them with pride and delight.

Serena gazed at Ash, and the happiness he clearly demonstrated. "So Ash, those are the Pokemon you met on your previous journey, huh?"

Ash nodded. "That's right! Here, I'll show you them!" He grasped the Pokeballs, and called "Come on out, Buizel and Krookodile!"

The two balls opened in his hands, the aforementioned Pokemon, a golden-brown sea weasel and a red alligator with sunglasses materialised in front of them. Bonnie walked up to them. "Woow, they're so cool!"

Ash scratched his cheek, and his two recently returned Pokemon imitated their trainers actions. Bonnie ran outside with them, and Ash, Serena and Clemont walked on after her.

Clemont put a finger to his chin in thought. "Though, I'm slightly curious. You haven't really told us you did compete in other League's."

Ash looked at the two teenagers sitting opposite him. "Oh, I just never really thought about it after I met you guys." And he was telling the truth. He couldn't imagine that they'd want to know about his previous journey's, after all, they were in the past now. But they seemed like they wanted to know.

"Well, what do you want to know? I don't mind sharing, it's just that I never found an opportunity to tell you guys."

"I guess start from the top? Perhaps about your experiences in previous leagues?" Clemont asked.

Serena agreed. "Yeah, i'm fascinated."

Ash thought back. "Previous League battles, huh?" His eyebrows furrowed. "My first League loss was at the Indigo Plateau in Kanto. Man, it didn't look pretty, that's for sure."

* * *

"Um... It, uh, appears like Charizard is taking a nap!" The commentator said, confusion evident in his tone of voice.

Ash was on the verge of tears. He was wearing his first ever travelling gear, where he wore a blue overcoat on top of a simple white shirt, and his hat had a crooked 'L' logo on it. "Oh come on Charizard, please get up and battle!"

The dragon Pokemon lay on it's right shoulder and yawned. His opponents Pikachu stood in front of it, wondering if it should attack or back off.

"Cmon Charizard, could you listen to me just this one time?! I promise if you do, you never have to again!"

He waited. No response. Misty and Brock facepalmed simutaneously.

"Well, if the Pokemon refuses to battle..." The referee announced, "Then I guess, the winner is Richie and his Pikachu!"

Ash fell to his knees. "Arghhh..." He groaned, unable to believe what just occurred. "Charizard, return!" He yelled angrily, and he put his hand on his forehead.

Richie walked over to Ash. "A-Ash?" He murmured. He felt saddened that the battle ended on such a disappointing note - he almost felt as if he didn't deserve the win.

Ash got up, and smiled hugely at him. "Well Rich, I guess you won! Congratulations!" He tried to put on a brave face, and closed his eyes, sticking out a hand.

Richie took it and shook it gratefully. "Thanks, Ash."

* * *

Serena half gasped. "Jeez... That's pretty awful." She whispered.

Ash shrugged. "Nah, it's okay. Like I said, it's in the past now. Besides, Charizard started listening to me, after he had lost a battle for the first time."

"Well, whaddaya know." Clemont remarked.

Ash recalled the memory as if it was fresh in his mind. "Yep... He lost to a Poliwrath... he musta been devastated. We were nowhere near the Pokemon Center, so I just nursed him myself, just tryna warm him up and make sure he got better. When we rematched that trainer the next day, Charizard was like a completely different Pokemon. He focused intensely, and most importantly, treated me like I was his trainer."

Clemont and Serena said nothing, though listened intently, their eyes expecting Ash to continue. Ash picked up on this, and so he did. "Yeah... He was one of my strongest. After a while, we ended up in this place called the Charizific Valley, where Charizard was invited to fight other Charizards... And he learned, unfortunately, that he was lightweight compared to some other Pokemon."

Ash sighed, and carried on. "They wiped the floor with him. Charizard was devastated, and so I realised he wouldn't reached his full potential. I decided to leave him there, so he can train with other Charizards." His memory turned bittersweet as it played out in his mind.

Serena finally spoke up. "Oh Ash, I'm sorry..."

However, Ash shook his head, grinning again. "Aw, don't be! He still comes back every so often when I really need his help! Like for the Johto League... Together, we managed to get to the quarterfinals, but he faced a powerful Blaziken, and eventually it came to a standoff, and he just couldn't stay standing." He sighed deeply again, but still looked content.

"The Hoenn League came next... That was a tough one. I made it to the quarterfinals again, before I lost, barely, to a trainer called Tyson and his Meowth. He then went on to win the tournament." Ash explained. Clemont and Serena nodded.

* * *

"Quick Pikachu, dodge and use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled. This time, his overcoat was replaced by a jacket, and his hat was red and black with a green indent in its centre.

Tyson brought his fist in front of him. "Meowth, you use Thunderbolt as well!"

Meowth grinned coyly, and the two Pokemon fired bolts of lightning at each other, which collided and neutralised in midair.

Ash grimaced. "Pikachu, keep going! Thunder, now!"

"Thunderbolt, right back at him!" Tyson ordered.

Again, the lightning strikes filled the air.

"Argh... Okay Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

Pikachu stopped the attack and dashed straight at the cat.

"Meowth, use Double Team!"

The Meowth seemed to duplicate, and Pikachu went right through one of the copies. The Meowth jumped above Pikachu.

"Now use Iron Tail!" Tyson called.

"Pikachu, you use Iron Tail too!" Ash shouted.

Their tails each glowed white, and they struck each other like swords.

Pikachu and Meowth fought evenly, attack after attack, collision upon collision, until...

"Iron Tail Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"Use Iron Tail back!" Tyson yelled.

This time, when they hit, their aims landed dead on each other, inflicting heavy damage on the both of them. They were sent sprawling onto the floor.

"Quick Meowth, get up!" Tyson shouted. The cat responded, unsteadily lifting itself onto its back paws.

"Cmon Pikachu, you gotta get up!" Ash cried out. Pikachu did so, getting up onto its paws, shaking from the pain.

However, it was too much. Meowth fell onto its knees, landing on its front paws in front of it just to be able to stay conscious.

Pikachu wasn't as lucky. It collapsed, and closed its eyes, unable to move.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! Meowth is the winner, so the match goes to Tyson!"

* * *

Pikachu climbed off of Ash's shoulders and started nodding to Serena and Clemont, itself recounting the fight, and especially the standoff.

"Pikachu gave it his best shot, and that's all that really matters at the end of the day." Ash explained.

"Did you compete in any other Pokemon Leagues?" Clemont asked eagerly.

Ash's eyes looked up. "Well, yeah, two more, the Sinnoh and Unova Leagues, but are you sure you want me to continue? I hope I'm not boring you or anything-"

Serena shook her head. "Not at all! I've actually wanted to know about your past for a while." She told him.

"If you say so," Ash breathed. "Well, I lost in the Sinnoh League - the, uh, the Lily of the Valley conference. Man, that battle is probably gonna stick with me for as long as I live." He explained, sweat-dropping just remembering the excruciating event. Pikachu also grimaced as he knew what Ash was talking about.

The fight with Tobias.

* * *

Although a weight had been lifted off of Ash's shoulders after his victory against Paul, Ash still felt on edge. Tobias's presence emanated with intimidation, as Ash already knew that he had swept the battles previously with just one Pokemon, the legendary Darkrai.

He stood there im his black sweater, solemn and stern, his gaze fixed on Tobias and his smug expression. As far as Tobias could tell, he had already won that League. But Ash wasn't about to give up like Tobias' opponent in the quarters had.

Tobias tossed a Pokeball. Out appeared the black, red and white Pokemon that Ash was worried about. "Theres his Darkrai..." Ash muttered.

Ash started with Heracross, but it was no match. After being hit by Heracross's Horn Attack, Darkrai used the move Dark Void, which put it to sleep, allowing Darkrai to knock it out immediately with a Dream Eater. Ash sent out Torkoal after soothing his defeated beetle Pokemon. Unfortunately, Torkoal suffered the same fate - being knocked out in one hit by a Dark Pulse. Ash tried Gible, but though it landed a Rock Smash, it still couldn't knock out the Nightmare Pokemon.

"Ash Ketchum." Tobias sneered. "I applaud you, that was an exceptional performance. However I can only hope, for your sake, your next Pokemon is better."

Ash growled, about to burst with anger. "We're just getting started! Go, Sceptile!"

Sceptile appeared from the Pokeball. It glared at Darkrai, not wavering in the slightest.

"Ice Beam." Tobias boomed.

The attack started to approach Sceptile, but it dodged it by jumping. "Sceptile, use Quick Attack!" Ash shouted.

Sceptile darted towards Darkrai, but just like before, Darkrai effortlessly moved out of the way of the attack.

"Grr... Use Leaf Storm!" Ash yelled.

"Ice Beam again!" Tobias grunted.

A flurry of leaves flew at Darkrai, but it shrugged it off and fired another beam at Sceptile, which punched right through and hit, knocking the gecko to the floor.

"Sceptile, no!" Ash cried, gritting his teeth. Sceptile steadied himself and got up onto its knees.

"You may as well give up." Tobias smirked. Ash screwed up his face, glaring at him. "Use Dark Void."

Darkrai fired another black orb at Sceptile, enveloping it and putting it into a nightmare status. "Sceptile, snap out of it!" Ash screamed.

"Darkrai, use Dream Eater!"

Ash stared helplessly as Darkrai's eyes glowed red. However, Sceptile heard Ash's voice and shook his head wildly in an attempt to wake up from the nightmare.

Tobias saw the Sceptile rise and was genuinely shocked. "What?!" He grimaced.

"Alright!" Ash bellowed. "Leaf Blade, let's go!"

Sceptile charged at Darkrai as his wrists turned jagged, steeling for a knockout. It struck Darkrai.

And again.

Darkrai was sent crashing into the grassy terrain, and it fainted.

"Darkrai is unable to battle!" declared the referee, utterly shocked. Tobias' expression was similar.

"That does it." Tobias stated, smirking. "You've impressed me, Ash. To think, you've brought out my second Pokemon." He grabbed another Pokeball as he returned Darkrai. Tobias threw this ball into the air, and suddenly a figure breezed past Ash with incredible force.

Ash looked behind him. It was a Pokemon, flying towards Tobias and landing in front of him, then facing Ash.

Latios.

This Pokemon was tougher than Darkrai. It swept through Sceptile and Swellow without any resistance at all.

After returning his defeated fifth Pokémon, Ash's mouth went dry. "I..."

"Are you ready to give up now, Ash?" Tobias questioned, aggravated now that one of his Pokémon had been defeated.

Pikachu jumped in front of Ash. "Pikapi!" He yelled.

"Pikachu..." Ash gazed at his partner, who had been with him since the beginning. "You're right. There's no giving up until it's over. Well, I believe in you, buddy."

Pikachu jumped into the stadium, ready to battle.

Contrary to what Tobias expected, Pikachu was the only Pokémon that managed to land an attack on the Latios.

All too quickly, it became down to the wire. Pikachu was getting tired, and Tobias more agitated with each blow Latios took.

"Latios, use Luster Purge!" ordered Tobias.

Latios swooped towards Pikachu, ready to hit him with a final blow.

"Pikachu!" Ash screamed. "Dodge and jump on it's back!"

Pikachu jumped into the air, and swiftly landed on Latios as it flew back into the air. He grabbed a hold on it and clung for dear life.

Tobias gasped. "Latios, shake it off! Now!"

Ash saw his opportunity, but it was incredibly risky. He bit his lip and prayed for Pikachu's safety. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" He yelled.

The lightning mouse surrounded itself in a wave of electricity which shocked the legendary bird intensely.

"Pikachu, you gotta keep going!" Ash shouted to his faithful partner. Pikachu's strength was fading, but like it's trainer, he pulled his willpower together.

"Pikachuuuu!" He screeched, electrocuting the Latios further.

"Block that pest with Light Screen!" Tobias commanded, while his facial features became darker with rage.

"Pikachu! Iron Tail, again and again!" Ash pleaded.

Pikachu's tail glowed silver, and he repeatedly hit the Latios with his tail.

"Argh!" grunted Tobias. "Ascend, now!"

Latios took to the skies, flying so high that, with Pikachu on it's back, they weren't visible to the spectators.

"And now descend to throw it off!" The long-haired trainer spat.

Latios reached a peak, and then spun so quickly Pikachu couldn't help but lose his grip.

"Pikaaaa!" He screamed as he fell what must've been hundreds of meters.

Tobias let a wry smile grow on his face. "Finish this. Use Luster Purge!" He ordered.

Latios turned around once again to see the falling Pikachu above it. It let out a devastating Luster Purge which Pikachu could do nothing but fall into.

Ash screwed up his face. His voice was about to break, but he pushed it to it's limits. "Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"

Pikachu turned to face the attack head on. He bared his fangs and braced himself for what he was about to do.

Pikachu's body started releasing electricity, and he became surrounded in a golden glow.

"Pikapikapikapikapika..."

He dove into the attack, and the entire stadium gasped in shock and terror.

"pikapikapikapikapikapika..."

Pikachu felt the pain consuming him from all sides, as if he was being crushed. But still he pushed.

"Pikachu, if you can hear me, use Iron Tail!" Ash screamed, though his voice was hoarse and cracked.

"Pikapikapikapikapika..." Pikachu's tail glowed silver once more, though it couldn't see from the blood rushing to it's head.

"Pikapikapikapika... Chuuu... Piiikaaa!" And even as Pikachu lost consciousness, it managed to spin around and strike the Latios with it's tail.

The explosion that occurred broke the sound barrier as the two Pokémon crashed down to earth.

Screens streaming the event blacked out.

The devastation lasted for a lifetime as Ash and Tobias stood in the smoke, unable to move, unable to respond to anything.

Ash felt as if he was about to faint. He didnt care about winning anymore. He just wanted his friend to be safe.

* * *

Clemont was wide eyed throughout the entire story. "This Tobias guy had a Darkrai and a Latios?!" He exclaimed.

Ash sighed. "Yeah, I felt the same way. Honestly, when I saw Latios appear I really doubted if I could really beat Tobias. And, well, of course I couldn't. It knocked out Sceptile, beat my Swellow in an aerial battle, and only Pikachu was able to knock it out, but sadly it got him too." He explained, massaging Pikachu's head gently.

"You gave it your all though, and you never gave up. That's the Ash I know." Serena smiled sadly.

In reality, Serena had listened intently to the stories Ash told. She could barely picture the prospect of Ash losing - She knew he wasn't infallible, but the idea of it was almost uncanny to her.

Ash nodded, and looked down. "Thanks, Serena. I entered the Unova Vertress Conference, and made it to the quarters again, but it pretty much ended the same way as Hoenn. Me and my rival, Cameron, managed to bring each other down to our last Pokemon, but poor Pikachu took too many hits from his Lucario, and I was out."

A voice appeared next to Ash, and it wasn't Clemont, Bonnie or Serena's. "Sounds like you've been through a lot, Ash."

He turned to face that voice. It was Alain, standing over him. "Alain! Long time no see!" Ash grinned. They shared a friendly handshake. "This year..." Ash started. "This year it's gonna be different. I'm gonna win this one!"

Alain smiled back. "Aha, but you'll have to beat me first!"

"You're on! But first I gotta train my older friends." He gestured towards Krookodile and Buizel, who seemed to get along well, both with each other and with the Kalosian Pokémon.

"Alright!" Ash shouted to his Pokémon! "Let's all work together to beat these next few rounds!"

Buizel, Krookodile, Talonflame, Hawlucha, Pikachu and Greninja all looked at him, grinning. They cheered, and they rushed out to the small training pitches, along with Alain.

Clemont laughed. "Guess we'd better come with, huh!" He got up and followed.

Serena got up too. Her eyes glinted with pride and admiration. "_Oh Ash... I believe in you. You've worked so hard to get to this point. There's no way you can lose._"

* * *

**And that is that! Took me this long to realise - I gotta make these next chapters as exciting as possible! I'll try my hardest, so I implore you to stick around. Unfortunately, i've realised that amourshipping has taken quite a bit of a backseat to my redo of XYZ. I sincerely apologise - I know amourshipping is what you've stuck around for, but it may take a bit of buildup before** **I can do anything _completely_ original as i've been intending to. In fact, according to my plan, it'll branch off in a few more chapters. I hope you stick with me and this**.

**Reviews:**

You are going the right way with this, but please don't get lost in the league. I truly appreciate what you did, that is awesome. - Cohomologie

**Thanks man, I really appreciate it! And listen, I'm not one to judge non-english speakers on their English, that'd just be daft.**

**But** **like I said earlier, unfortunately amourshipping may have some slight delay with some little bit of lovey filler for the time being, until my story can emerge. **

**Anyway, thanks for reading and I hope to see you next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6: An unorthodox strategy

**Chapter 6: An Unorthodox Strategy**

* * *

After going past the third round, Ash realised he had a lot more free time than he imagined. Now that he thought about it, the League had 64 competitors, and even with Ash's bad maths skills he knew that it meant there'd be a lot of battles to wait on for the third round.

And it just so happened to be that during his battle was the first that day, so all in all, he had the rest of the day to himself.

Ash looked at his Pokeballs, and wondered whether he should cram in a few extra hours of training. he silently shook his head. That wasn't gonna help, it'll only tire his Pokémon out.

Ash got up, and started to pace back and forth.

"_What would Clemont or Serena do, in this situation?_" he wondered.

He thought about it - Clemont, as a gym leader, would be most likely to want to train his Pokémon to be the strongest, right?

But then Ash stopped. Clemont was more the kind of person to think of ways around situations that would put him at a disadvantage.

He remembered the fight of Bunnelby vs Heliolisk, when Clemont attempted to take the gym back.

* * *

"Use double team underneath the ground!" yelled Clemont. While Heliolisk was aiming its move at the hole Bunnelby was in, a swarm of Bunnelby copies bounced out of the hole. The Clembot looked befuddled, and even rebooted itself.

"Now Bunnelby, use Mud Shot!"

Bunnelby raised it's ears and threw a powerful mud projectile to hit Heliolisk, which knocked it out.

Bonnie was on the sidelines, acting as the referee. "Heliolisk is unable to battle, so Bunnelby and Clemont is the victor!"

* * *

Ash put a hand to his temples. That's one way he could go about things.

"_What about Serena_?" he thought.

Suddenly, a brainwave hit him. He grinned randomly. "Hey Pikachu!" He said to his partner. "How about about we try something slightly different?"

Pikachu tilted his head. "Pika?" He asked.

"Just trust me on this one. I think I have an idea."

* * *

A while later, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie came out of the gallery, after watching Tierno's successful match. "Man, that dancing was so cool!" Bonnie gushed.

Serena and Clemont nodded in agreement. "Hey," Clemont started. "Where did Ash go?"

"Probably on one of the training battlefields outside." shrugged Bonnie.

The three of them went to go look, but there was no sign of the trainer anywhere.

Serena sighed. "Clemont, I'll go look for him. He might've wandered off somewhere. Don't worry, I'll use this to message you if I find him." She pointed towards her travel guide, which happened to have a built in messaging app.

Clemont shrugged. "Alright then. Bonnie and I will wait here, in that case. We'll probably be watching Alain or Sawyer's rounds, if we're not here."

Serena nodded and left the Colosseum. She looked around, and checked her map. "Where could Ash've went?" She wondered.

Lumiose City was the biggest city in Kalos. If Ash had gotten lost, that would not be pretty.

"Alright Serena, put yourself in Ash's shoes." She told herself. "If you were him, and you wanted to sightsee around Lumiose, where would you want to head first?"

A lightbulb went off in her head. "The gym! Maybe he went to Prism Tower!"

She set off for the tower, and after a minute or so of running she reached it. Serena slowed down a bit, deciding to circle the landmark and see if she can find him. "_Oh no, I hope he hasn't gotten himself into another battle! The third round is coming up soon, and he needs to take it easy until then!_"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a puff of smoke waft into the air. She walked towards the smoke cloud, and noticed there was a flight of stairs, with a battlefield at the bottom of them. What's more, she saw Ash!

She watched him from above. He was with Greninja and Pikachu, but then it hit her.

"_Why is he wearing a tuxedo?_" She questioned, incredulous. The only time she's ever seen him in anything other than his casual clothes was when he was at the Performer's Dance Party, and even then he didn't want to wear it. In fact, it was the exact same suit as he wore at the party.

Serena kept watching. "Okay Pikachu, spin and use Electro Ball! Greninja, hit it with Water Shuriken!

Pikachu leapt off of Ash's shoulders, and fired a sphere of pure electricity into the air, directly above Ash. Greninja twirled backwards, and hit Pikachu's move with a blade of water, and the collision caused an explosion of glitter to shimmer down onto the three of them. Ash hopped from one foot to another, attempting to dance as well.

Serena gaped. "_What on Earth?_" She thought. "_Why is Ash doing a performance?!_"

Ash grinned to Pikachu. "Okay!" He shouted. "Use Thunderbolt, and Greninja, use Aerial Ace!"

Ash continued to dance, although very uncoordinated, while Pikachu backflipped in front of him, and prepared a discharge of electricity, which he fired - right at Ash!

Ash panicked as the move came towards him and he staggered backwards - only for Greninja to crash right into him with Aerial Ace. Ash was thrown against a wall, dazed. Pikachu and Greninja rushed over to him.

"Pikapi?"

"Yeah, don't worry you guys, i'm doing just fine." Ash grunted, pushing himself off the wall. He turned to inspect the cracks his body's impact made on it.

"Ash!"

Ash turned around. It was Serena's voice. When she saw him hit the wall, she flew down the stairs to see if he was okay.

Ash blushed heavily. "Oh, hey Serena. You, uh, didn't see any of that, right?"

Serena pushed her index fingers together, going slightly red. "Uh, maybe a little?"

"Oh man, how much?" He winced.

"Um, most of it, actually."

Ash groaned. "Oh man..."

"What were you doing, anyway?" Serena asked, staring at him quizzically. Ash put his cap back on, which he had taken off during his 'performance'.

"Well, you see, I was worried that my opponent would do something I didn't expect. Basically, I didn't want to get trapped in the mindset that I was in after I lost to Wulfric."

Serena understood what he meant. Ash continued. "I thought, maybe if i look at battling from a different perspective, perhaps i'll be able to think of workarounds, or perhaps my own unorthodox tactic. So I tried to do what you did."

Serena smiled.

"So Serena, what do you do in order to prepare for Showcases?"

"Hmm..." she pondered. "Well, everything I do in my performances has been inspired by stuff that's happened on our journey. Whether that's watching you battle, or any situations we've been in, be it good or bad... That's where all my ideas come from."

Ash stayed silent.

"Like that time I saw Eevee dance for the first time... I wanted to make it a part of our routine, so I made a performance based around that."

Ash grinned. "I getcha. I guess it is kinda like battling, in a sense."

Serena looked at him. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well," Ash explained, "When I battle, i generally work from what I know, but then when I see someone else battle, I have to figure them out to catch them off guard, which is what I train my Pokemon for."

They continued to talk for a while, and then for several moments they stayed silent, just basking in each other's company.

"Hey Serena, what's most important to you when you perform?"

"What's most important to me? Well, my goal is to make my audience feel happy, to make them smile." She explained.

Ash nodded and went quiet again as he thought to himself.

After a few seconds, he sighed. "When I first started out on my journey, the only thing that I wanted to do was win. I wanted to train my Pokemon well, so that we could win battles, and win the League. That's all I thought that being a Pokemon Master was all about." He paused, as Serena stayed silent. "Didn't really work out for me."

He chuckled. "In fact, you wouldn't be able to tell now, but Pikachu used to hate me when we first met." Serena did indeed look quite surprised to hear this, but Pikachu nodded intently, confirming what Ash had told her.

"As I met more people and Pokemon, and travelled with different people, each of them having different, and sometimes even changing dreams. I know now that my idea of a Pokemon Master is someone who is knowledgable about Pokemon, knows how to befriend Pokemon, so that they can battle alongside them, and form a bond because of it."

Serena agreed. "That's right! It's similar with performing. You'll never be able to do a good job if you weren't in sync with your partners."

Ash nodded. He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "While travelling Sinnoh, I met this trainer named Paul. My first encounter with him is when he ordered his Chimchar to knock down a swarm of Starly, then he caught them all. When he did that, he released them all except the strongest one."

Serena cringed. "That's extremely narrow minded." She muttered.

"Every time I encountered Paul, he did something that rubbed me the wrong way. He didn't care about how his Pokemon felt, or when they got hurt during battle. In fact, he even said it himself that Pokemon would become spoiled and weak if they were treated with kindness." He stopped himself, seeing Serena look disgusted by the trainer he told her about. "One day, when Chimchar lost him a match, he went and released him."

"What?! That's terrible!" Serena almost yelled.

Ash continued. "I took his Chimchar under my wing, and trained him with my own method - by caring for him. Chimchar evolved into Monferno and then Infernape, and we finally beat Paul in the quarters of the Sinnoh League. It was only then did the guy respect me as a trainer."

Serena put a hand on his shoulder. "Listen, you don't need to earn respect from people that you don't respect yourself.

Ash grimaced. "It's more than that. I wanted to prove to him, and to myself, that I was raising my Pokemon the right way, and that he was the one in the wrong." He then hesitated. "Meeting all my rivals helped me realise everyone has their own goals, and their own methods. Paul wanted to win and nothing else, so he was cold. Tierno and his Pokémon like to dance and are energetic. Sawyer's main goal is to gain as much battling experience as he can. Alain wants to know everything about mega evolution. So where does that leave me?" He asked.

Serena smiled to him. "Well, let's see. You want to become a Pokémon Master, don't you?"

Ash faced her. "Yeah, that's been my dream from the start."

"Well, I've noticed that just like me, your Pokémon have all taken on your strong willpower and determination, as well as that persevering attitude of yours!" She grinned. Ash looks at her in awe. "You once told me, 'Nothing we ever do is a waste of time', so that must mean your main goal when battling is to take that one step closer to your goal, along with your Pokémon!"

Ash beamed. "Thanks, Serena. I really appreciate that." He says, causing the girl to blush. "You know, that's twice this week now that you've helped me pull myself together! So I owe you one!"

Serena smiled. "You can thank me by winning this Pokemon League!"

Ash stuck his hand in the air, and Serena high fived it. "Count on it!" He exclaimed. "Now let's get back to it!"

"Huh?"

"Oh, another reason I'm doing this performance is to get mine, Pikachu's and Greninja's coordination in good shape for tomorrow!"

"In that case," Serena beamed, "I'll be happy to help!"

* * *

"Now Absol, Psycho Cut!"

"Hawlucha, Flying Press!"

The Absol launched a purple blade at Hawlucha, who leapt up to dodge it, and dove straight into Absol with its signature move. The hit kicked up a cloud of dirt, and when it cleared, the Absol fell to its side, defeated.

"Absol, no!" Astrid cried, as her Pokemon reverted back to its pre-mega state.

"Absol is unable to battle! Hawlucha wins, which means the victory goes to Ash!" called the referee.

Ash and Hawlucha simutaneously punched the air in triumph. The Luchador Pokemon ran to it's trainer, who returned it happily.

"Hawlucha, you did so awesome! Have a nice rest." Ash smiled.

The commentator's voice kicked in again. "Following this win, Ash has now made it to the semifinals, along with Alain, and the winners of these next two matches!"

* * *

He headed back to the lobby, still pleased that he had made it to the semifinals, especially considering the circumstances of Mega Evolution.

While he was walking through the hallway alone, a familiar voice called out to him. "Ash!"

He turned the corner and saw his friend and rival, Sawyer, holding a notebook and smiling. "Hey, Sawyer!" Ash replied.

"The semifinals! Congratulations!" Sawyer grinned.

"Thanks! You're up pretty soon as well, aren't you?"

"That's right, and i'm gonna win it too!" He hesitated, and then remembered his last encounter with his friend before they met again at the Kalos League. "Remember when you said that we'll battle at the Kalos League? Well, I'm gotta win to keep you to that promise."

Ash grinned back at him. "Yeah, but don't get too confident! Tierno is pretty strong, you know."

Sawyer nodded. "Tierno's a friend of yours, right?" He asked. Ash nodded. "I saw his first couple of rounds, so I'll keep a heads up for any of his rhythmic strategies he tries to pull out."

"In that case, good luck!" Ash said.

"I've also got a secret weapon on my side that I might use!"

Ash's focus then drifted on to Sawyer's notebook as he chuckled, somewhat sheepishly. "By any chance, is that secret weapon you're talking about the key stone that's hanging off your book?"

Sawyer's eyes widened, and then he laughed. "Oh right, I guess it is quite obvious, huh."

"Sorry, didn't mean to be that up front about it." Ash apologised.

Sawyer shook his head. "Nah, don't worry about it. I'll hide it better next time, so just keep it a secret from everyone and i'll be golden." He chuckled. "Anyway, I'll see you in either the semifinals, or the finals!"

Ash grinned again. "You're on!"

Sawyer left to go to his match, and Ash once again left the Colosseum. He checked his map. "_So Serena told me to meet her back there after my battle. Well, I guess i'll head there._"

He went back to the battlefield outside of Prism Tower, and there Serena stood with Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon, wearing her performer's dress. "Serena!" Ash called.

Serena looked up. "So Ash, what do you think?"

"I can't thank you enough for all this help." He said grinning as he made his way down the stairs.

Serena took a step backwards, ready to perform. "Get ready to watch me, okay?" She told him.

* * *

"Slurpuff is unable to battle!" was the first thing that Ash and Serena heard when they re-entered the bustling stadium. Sawyer was in the battlefield, with Tierno and Blastoise on the other side. "Okay Sceptile, it's up to you!" Sawyer yelled.

Ash and Serena scanned the seats, looking for their group. Soon enough, they found Clemont and Bonnie, and to their surprise, Shauna was with them too, the three of them talking about the ongoing battle.

"Shauna!" Serena cried as she saw her friend.

"Hey, you two!" Shauna said. Shauna moved to let Ash and Serena sit down.

Clemont looked at them, exasperated. "Where did you go, Serena? You just disappeared all of a sudden after Ash's battle."

Serena chuckled nervously. "Heh, sorry. I went to help Ash out with his battle."

"That's fair enough." Clemont sighed.

"Oh yeah, he does mean a lot to you, doesn't he?" Shauna remarked, making Serena go crimson.

"W-w-well of course, he is my friend after all, and I do admire his attitude!" She exclaimed loudly, blushing in front of her crush and hoping that he didn't think she was weird.

Ash looked at Serena, expecting to hear some context to this random outburst, but shrugged it off. Bonnie and Clemont simutaneously facepalmed, for reasons Ash didn't understand. He'd noticed this happening before. "_Am I just being dense and missing something really obvious?_" He wondered. "_Oh well. I'll worry about that next time, i guess._"

Meanwhile, the battle between Sceptile and Blastoise was raging on. "Sceptile, use Leaf Blade!" shouted Sawyer.

The leaves on Sceptile's arms glowed bright green, and the leaves became sharper. Sceptile used this to land a hit on Blastoise.

"Blastoise!" Tierno yelled. The turtle shook itself and brushed off the pain. "Alright! That Sceptile may be fast, but it's not beating your strength! Let's use Skull Bash!"

Blastoise dashed straight at Sceptile, steeling its head for impact.

However, Sawyer had other plans. "Sceptile, quick, Frenzy Plant!"

Sceptile pummelled the ground, and a huge vine stopped Blastoise in its tracks, hoisting it several feet into the air.

"No!" Tierno yelled. "Blastoise, Rain Dance!"

As the Blastoise fell, it summoned a group of rainclouds, just like how Ludicolo had done. Blastoise hit the floor and fainted.

"Blastoise is unable to battle!"

Tierno sighed and returned Blastoise. "You did really well, now have a good rest." he said. He grabbed Raichu's Pokeball and did a quick handstand, before throwing the ball. "Go Raichu!"

Raichu appeared yet again, and now with Slurpuff defeated, the Attract was no more, and Raichu was back to normal. "Rai rai!"

Serena looked confused. "Hmm... I wonder why he used Rain Dance? It's not as if Raichu knows any water moves, and even if he did, they wouldn't be effective on Sceptile, would they?"

Clemont nodded, and watched Raichu and Tierno carefully.

"Raichu, rock it with Thunder!"

Clemont smashed his fist against his other palm as the penny dropped for him. "That's it! He used Rain Dance because all of Raichu's electric attacks will be 100% accurate in the rain!"

Ash's eyes widened. "Man, that's clever!"

Raichu's body became laced with electricity, and it prepared to launch its unmissable lightning strike at the Sceptile.

Sawyer stared at his notebook. "Guess there's no point in holding back. I've battled a lot to get to this point, and now it's time to finally do this!"

He grabbed the bookmark. A key stone hung at the edge of it. As Sawyer's fingers touched the stone, it began to glow brightly. "Mega evolve!" Sawyer yelled.

The stone interacted with sceptile's scarf, and several light bonds connected the two items together. Sceptile's body begin to transform.

"Wow!" screamed the commentator. "Now Sawyer's Sceptile has become a mega Sceptile!"

Tierno grimaced. "It mega evolved?! No matter, Raichu, do it!"

Raichu's buildup of electricity came to breaking point, and it unleashed the attack on sceptile. The clouds absorbed the electricity, and sure enough, the attack landed on Sceptile, who braved it completely. When the electricity died out, Tierno realised the attack did nothing.

"You what?!" He shouted.

"Sceptile's ability changes to Lightning Rod when it mega evolves! So all of your electric attacks are void!" Sawyer explained with a hint of smug in his voice. "And now, mega Sceptile, use Dragon Claw!"

"Focus Blast, now!" Tierno growled.

Sceptile charged at Raichu, its claw glowing a bright green. Raichu summoned a ball of energy and lobbed it at Sceptile, but the gecko proceeded to tear right through the attack!

Raichu made to dodge, but couldn't move out in time. "Raichu!" Tierno cried.

Raichu was hit and sent reeling - it hit the ground hard, and was knocked out.

"Raichu is unable to battle! Sceptile wins, and Sawyer is the victor!"

The commentator burst out in speech again. "Wow! With an amazing show of quick thinking, Sawyer and his mega evolving Sceptile will be moving on to the semifinals with Remo, Alain and Ash!"

Tierno sighed, disappointed, and returned Raichu. He stared at the Pokeball with a sad smile. "Listen Raichu, you battled awesomely. But now we gotta cheer for the winner!" He walked over to Sawyer. "Congratulations, pal! Takes a lot to beat me!" He grinned.

Sawyer smiled, and stuck out his hand. "Thanks!" He replied, as Tierno accepted the handshake.

"And with that," The announcer continued, "The two semifinal battles have been decided! The first battle will be Alain versus Remo, and then the next is Ash versus Sawyer, coming up tomorrow!"

Ash looked at Sawyer from his seat, and when Sawyer caught his eye, the two grinned at each other.

It was finally coming time for the battle the two had long awaited.

* * *

**And for now, that is that! The next two episodes will be the semis and the finals.**

**Thank you for reading - It's only now that I've realised just how difficult coming up with and writing battles is. I'll stop giving the Pokemon anime any hatred for it, because just writing it is a struggle, to think they've had to write, animate, redo several times. I've also had to redo this quite a few times, because I wanted a bit of amourshipping filler haha.**

**Anyway, enough of my rambling. See you next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7: Ash's Penultimatum

**Chapter 7: Ash's penultimatum**

* * *

"And Garchomp is unable to battle! Charizard wins, and so Alain is the victor!" announced the referee.

Clemont, Bonnie, Tierno, Trevor, Shauna and Serena watched in amazement. "He's only brought out Metagross and Charizard for each battle!" Clemont muttered. "He's gonna be tough to beat!"

Serena put a hand to her heart. "Ash needs to beat Sawyer, and then he's gonna have to face Alain." She stopped, but smiled. "Ash can do it. I believe in him. He's just gotta win the Kalos League!

The commentator burst with excitement. "With Alain's powerful Mega Charizard beating its competition with ease, they now move onto the finals! Let's see who faces him in our next semifinal match!"

The spectators waited on edge as Alain and Remo shook hands and left the stadium.

Meanwhile, Ash was picking up the last of the Pokeballs he switched from Professor Oak. "Thanks, Professor!" He grinned.

Professor Oak looked pleased. "No problem! Now good luck out there!" He replied, before signing off. The screen Ash stared at went black.

Ash got up, and stared at the five pokeballs in his hand. "Come out everybody!"

All the pokeballs opened, and pokemon Ash hadn't seen in quite a while greeted him with a smile. Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder to meet his old friends again, and introduce them to the pokemon they hadn't met. "Alright, you guys!" Ash exclaimed. "I know it's been a long time, but whaddaya say we go out there and win this league?!"

The seven of them cheered in unison, each of them excited.

* * *

"And the last of the semifinal rounds, please welcome trainers Ash vs Sawyer!"

Loud clapping, whistling and cheering ensued as Ash and Sawyer entered from each end of the arena.

"This time, the battle will be a six on six, and substitutions are allowed, like before!. When either side is down to three Pokémon, we will have a battlefield change, and when all six of your pokemon have been defeated, the battle will end!" said the referee. The two competitors nodded intently. "You will be fighting, first, in this forest battlefield!" A platform emerged in front of them, with lush greenery separating the two trainers.

"Are you both ready?"

Ash and Sawyer shared a grin. "Hey, Sawyer!" Ash called out. "I'm going all out for this battle, you got that?!"

"I expect nothing less, Ash! You bet I'll do the same!" Sawyer responded.

The referee couldn't help smiling. "When you're both ready, you may begin!"

Ash gazed at the first Pokeball he was going to use. "It's been a long time since Unova, my friend. But together, we can do this! I choose you, Krookodile!" He threw the Pokeball into the battle, and the red alligator appeared from it, snarling at Sawyer.

Sawyer's eyes widened. "Woah, I've never even seen a Krookodile before!"

The commentator sounded just as impressed. "Ash starts off with Krookodile! Now there's a Pokémon you don't see everyday in Kalos! That intimidating Krookodile must've be caught in the Unova region!"

"I can't let my guard down for a second! I have a feeling Ash will have switched a lot of his Pokémon with his previous ones, so I'd best play cautious." Sawyer whispered to himself. And then aloud, "Okay, go Clawitzer!"

He chucked his own Pokeball, and from it emerged a blue Pokemon, a shrimp with one massive claw.

Ash grimaced. Of course. A water type against a ground type definitely was not in his favour. So he'd have to play very carefully.

"Clawitzer, use Aqua Jet!"

The Clawitzer rose on a pillar of water, and started to travel right at Ash's pokemon.

"Krookodile, dodge it!"

He barely managed to get out of the way of the attack, however Clawitzer didn't stop there. It quickly turned around and Krookodile couldn't see it coming as it crashed into him behind.

"Krookodile, you okay?!" Ash asked. Krookodile fell to the ground, but got up again and shrugged off the blow, grunting as a reply to Ash.

"Hey Ash, i've been learning from you, to think outside the box!" Sawyer grinned.

"Glad to hear it!" Ash responded with a smile. "Alright Krookodile, use Dig!"

Krookodile immediately buried itself into the ground.

"Clawitzer, use Water Pulse, straight into the hole!" Sawyer commanded. Clawitzer prepared its sphere of water, and bounced to the hole, about to fire it.

"Now!" Ash yelled. Right as Clawitzer fired its attack, Krookodile burst out of the ground behind Clawitzer and unleashed a powerful blow, sending it flying backwards, though it landed upright, still ready to fight.

"Krookodile, keep on it with Dragon Claw!"

Krookodile's claw glowed green and he prepared to strike again, running straight towards Clawitzer.

"Clawitzer, use Ice Beam!"

Clawitzer fired a ray of ice at Krookodile, which froze his feet, stopping him dead in his tracks.. Ash gasped. "Krookodile, break out, quick!"

"Finish it with Water Pulse!" Shouted Sawyer. The shrimp fired the move, which hit Krookodile directly, knocking it out where it once stood.

"Krookodile is unable to battle!" Said the referee.

Ash pulled out a pokeball. "Okay Krookodile, return!" He said. When the red light summoned the fainted pokemon back, he smiled at his pokeball. "You've done really well, old friend. Now take a good rest." He put his pokeball back on the belt, and took out his next. Ash knew that Sawyer was a good analyst, and was able to predict a lot of things based on the circumstances. In that case, Ash would have to do something very unpredictable. And he knew just how.

"Buizel, I choose you!"

He threw the pokeball, and Ash's faithful sea weasel, Buizel, appeared from the ball and landed on the ground, springing to action.

Ash focused on his friend. Buizel had proven himself to be great at making some good combos. He thought back to the Wallace Cup, and what they did to make it as far as they did during that contest. "Okay Buizel, Aqua Jet, let's go!"

"You use Aqua Jet too!" shouted Sawyer.

The two water types surrounded themselves in their element, and collided with each other head on. "Now use Sonic Boom!" Ash yelled.

Right after the water subsided, Buizel smirked at the shrimp, and with a huge slam of its twin tails, struck the ground, causing a wave to appear and knock Clawitzer backwards. The force sent Buizel flying into the air, whereas Clawitzer hit the ground with a thud, but it used its claw to reposition itself.

"Clawitzer, are you okay?" Sawyer asked. Clawitzer nodded. "Alright, use Ice Beam now!"

As the Ice Beam sailed towards the airborne weasel, he and Ash simutaneously grinned. "You ready, Buizel?"

Sawyer's eyes widened. "What's he planning?!"

Ash punched the air. "Aqua Jet, straight into it!" he yelled. Buizel shouted and started to sail directly into Clawitzer's Ice Beam, and the water around Buizel quickly froze. Everyone around Ash gasped in shock, as he grinned. "Let's give it everything you got! _Ice_ Aqua Jet, now!"

Buizel, now incased in ice, struck Clawitzer right on its head, shattering the ice as Buizel leapt back, and Clawitzer was launched against a tree as it fainted.

The referee looked stunned. "Clawitzer is unable to battle!" he announced.

Sawyer was taken aback. He returned his pokemon with a smile. "You did great, so take a good rest, Clawitzer." He looked up at Ash. "That was an impressive combo, Ash!"

Ash grinned. "Thanks! Me and Buizel have worked on that one for a long time!"

"You never fail to surprise me, Ash! I'm truly happy you're back in action!" Sawyer said as he reached for another pokeball. "But now its time to get serious! Slaking, lets go!"

Ash looked at the massive pokemon that emerged. "Alright Buizel, are you still doing okay?"

Buizel hit its fists, grinning at Ash. "Bui, Bui!"

"Alright then! Hit Slaking with Ice Punch!" Ash yelled.

Buizel charged at Slaking, and his fist glowed with a light blue. Buizel punched Slaking hard - but Slaking didn't move, or flinch. Its stomach froze slightly, and Slaking just proceeded to scratch the ice off, unfazed.

Buizel jumped back, expecting a retaliation, but was taken aback when he received none. "Buizel, try Water Gun!" Ash said.

Buizel nodded, although after his enemy hadn't flinched from his direct attack, he was slightly on edge. Buizel fired a powerful spray of water which hit Slaking, but still the pokemon remained unreactive.

Ash looked concerned. "An unmoving Slaking, eh? Seems familiar." He said to himself, and then he recalled a gym battle he fought in three years ago, where he fought Norman's Slaking with Sceptile, who was only a Grovyle at the time, and when he received his fourth Hoenn gym badge. "Three years... Time really flew, didn't it?" He thought, sighing internally.

"Buizel, use Ice Punch, again and again!" Ash commanded.

Buizel obliged, readying it's fists yet again, and then it punched Slaking - once with it's right, then jumping up and punching with it's left.

No response, even though the attacks were clearly inflicting damage to the pokemon.

Sawyer watched Buizel intently, as if he was waiting for something. "Slaking, use Slack Off!" Sawyer ordered.

Slaking's body glistened, and any wounds it had sustained disappeared. Slaking smirked at Buizel, agitating the latter.

Ash gritted his teeth. "Buizel, we just need to chain attacks so it can't heal!" He explained to his Pokemon. "Use Aqua Jet!"

Buizel surrounded itself with water, and rammed into Slaking, who once again did nothing to protect itself.

"Follow it up with Sonic Boom!" Ash yelled, but then he saw Sawyer smirk suddenly. Ash's eyes widened.

"Slaking, use Counter!"

Slaking finally got up, and as Buizel leapt back, firing a burst at Slaking, the sloth pokemon's body began to glow brightly. The Sonic Boom connected with Slaking, and was reflected, with double the force being sent back at Buizel. The move smacked into him and sent him crashing into the ground, unconscious.

"Buizel is unable to battle!" stated the referee.

Ash eyes focused on Slaking as it lay back down on its side, almost taunting the trainer. "Buizel, return!" He said. "You did awesome, so get a nice rest, okay?"

Then Ash turned to Pikachu, who stood beside him. Pikachu looked back up at him. "Alright, you're up buddy!" Ash exclaimed.

Pikachu jumped into the battlefield with a grin. Ash exhaled sharply. "Buizel's done a lot of attacking. There's no way Slack Off healed all of those attacks..." He then saw the ice Slaking was scratching off of itself. He smiled. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu prepared its trademark move - firing an intense bolt of lightning at Slaking, who tanked the hit. "Slack Off!" Sawyer ordered.

Slaking once again healed itself. "Pikachu, jump and use Iron Tail!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu did exactly that - he leapt up and while in midair, turned to have his tail come crashing down on Slaking.

"Slaking, use Hammer Arm!" shouted Sawyer. Slaking got up and aimed its fist at the electric mouse, and the two moves collided. However, Slaking's knees buckled and Pikachu landed on its head, causing some serious damage. "Finish this with Electro Ball!" Ash yelled.

The force of landing on Slaking had sent Pikachu back up above him, and Slaking couldn't move in time to dodge the move. It hit, and Slaking fainted.

"Slaking is unable to battle!"

Sawyer frantically made a note in his notebook. "I shoulda known that wasn't gonna work for long..." He muttered to himself. He returned Slaking with a light smile, and aloud, he said, "Okay Aegislash, go!"

Ash looked at the sword/shield Pokemon that emerged from the Pokeball. "Ah, Aegislash! Tierno warned me about this. Okay Pikachu, into the forest, let's go!"

Pikachu nodded, and dashed into the trees, out of sight. Sawyer watched him go, and yelled, "Aegislash, use Sacred Sword!"

Aegislash's sword glowed blue, and it chased Pikachu through the trees, cutting the forest down as it passed. Ash gasped as he saw it, and Pikachu continued to run back to Ash. When Pikachu turned around, Aegislash had cut the last of the standing trees down. Now the battlefield looked more like a wasteland.

"I wonder what he's planning?" Ash murmured. He stared at Aegislash, who returned to Sawyer, awaiting his next command. "Alright Pikachu, here they come!" Ash exclaimed."Now! Use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu crouched down, and leapt at Aegislash. "Aegislash, use King's Shield!" Sawyer shouted.

Aegislash successfully brought its shield back in front of its body, and blocked Pikachu's tail.

Pikachu landed on the ground, and felt the electricity inside himself weaken slightly. "Pika?!" It questioned, looking at Ash.

Ash gritted his teeth. "Oh right, If we hit King's Shield, your attack power will go down!" Pikachu nodded, its eyes focusing intensely on Aegislash.

"Now use Sacred Sword!" Sawyer commanded. Aegislash once again removed the shield from its body and went in on Pikachu.

"Dodge it, quick!" Ash cried, but with the forest gone, Pikachu didn't have many places to turn to. Aegislash cornered Pikachu on a log, and struck him to the ground.

Pikachu cried out, but slowly got back onto his paws.

"Sacred Sword again!"

The same sequence happened - Pikachu tried to dodge, but Aegislash quickly caught up because the fallen trees were in the way. It hit Pikachu again, inflicting serious damage.

Ash grimaced. His attack options, and now his movements, were severely limited. How was he going to one-up Sawyer? "Thunderbolt!" He yelled.

Sawyer shook his head. "King's Shield!"

Pikachu fired another thunderbolt, and Ash stared closely at Aegislash. The pokemon pulled its shield in front of it...

The attack collided with the barrier, and Ash's eyes widened. "Pikachu, I have an idea. Its risky, but we don't have much else to go on. You with me?" Pikachu nodded.

"Alright then, I believe in you, buddy! Use Iron Tail on the floor!"

Pikachu did so, and the force sent the nearby branches and logs into the air.

Sawyer grinned. "Oh, he's planning something alright. Aegislash, use Fury Cutter!"

Ash breathed. "Pikachu, now use the wood!"

Pikachu jumped onto the airborne branches, nimbly dodging the Aegislash's sword, and getting behind the Pokemon, ready to attack.

"Aha! I knew it! Aegislash, use King's Shield now!" Sawyer shouted.

Ash grinned. "Okay Pikachu, hit that branch!"

Pikachu spun backwards, and whacked a branch with his tail, sending it spinning towards Aegislash's shield, and with brilliant aim, the shield was knocked off Aegislash's hand and onto the floor, making the barrier fail to appear. Sawyer gasped in shock.

"Pikachu, finish it with Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu beamed, and wrapped himself in electricity. When it was all stored up, Pikachu let it rip, unleashing a powerful shock onto the sword Pokemon, and knocking it straight out.

"Aegislash is unable to battle!" exclaimed the referee.

The commentator was bustling with excitement. "What a brilliant play by Ash and Pikachu! Stopping that King's Shield with some wood and a lot of quick thinking! And now that three of Sawyer's Pokemon are out, we'll now have a battlefield change!"

Sawyer sighed, clearly impressed. "Aegislash, you battled hard. Take a good rest." He said, returning the sword and shield pokemon.

Ash's eyes met Pikachu's. "You did it, buddy!" He smiled widely, and Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder happily. Ash stroked his yellow friend as the battlefield Pikachu once stood on sunk under the floor.

"And this next battlefield is gonna be... The badlands!"

Once again, a desolate, rocky surface appeared in front of Ash, Pikachu and Sawyer.

"Alright Pikachu, you can return for now." Ash grinned, as he pulled out his next Pokeball. Pikachu was happy to oblige, leaping off of his trainer's shoulder and lying down to have a nap. "Hawlucha! I choose you!"

Ash tossed the Pokeball high into the air, and suddenly, a masked pokemon soared out of it, flying onto the screen that focused on the match, and then gliding back down to land on the ground, posing with his muscles flexed.

Clemont and Bonnie were evidently stunned by his appearance. "Hawlucha..?" They exclaimed.

Serena giggled. "Well you see..." She then went to explain to them the circumstances as to why Hawlucha had a mask and cape on.

* * *

Serena felt something prod her shoulder softly. She spun around, and saw Ash's Hawlucha behind her, holding something in his hand. "You okay Hawlucha?" She asked. It wasn't an everyday occurance for Hawlucha to talk to anyone but Ash, Greninja and Pikachu, and so Serena had never spoke to the Luchador pokemon personally.

Hawlucha held out a piece of cloth. "Lucha!" He said. He placed the cloth on his back, and did his signature pose.

"Oh!" Serena exclaimed. "I get it! You want me to make you a costume, don't you!"

Hawlucha beamed.

* * *

Bonnie and Clemont sweat-dropped, watching Hawlucha as he ripped off his gear and growled, showing off his chest for the crowd. Serena smiled. "A forest champion needs a good outfit to match!" She told them.

Bonnie nodded. "I guess so!"

On the battlefield, Sawyer was grabbing his fourth Pokeball. "Okay, let's go Salamence!"

Sawyer through the Pokeball, and Salamence appeared, a huge dragon with a blue body and bright red wings.

Ash grinned at Sawyer. "Wow, so Shelgon evolved!" He exclaimed. Sawyer nodded in confirmation. "Hawlucha! use Karate Chop!"

Hawlucha quickly glided towards Salamence. "Dodge it!" Sawyer shouted.

Salamence spread its wings and took to the air, evading all of Hawlucha's attempts of landing a move.

"Woah, that's fast!" Ash murmured. Hawlucha carried on attacking, until finally a blow landed on Salamence's head. "Nice one, Hawlucha! Now use High Jump Kick!" he yelled.

Sawyer glanced up at his pokemon. "Salamence, use Dragon Rush!"

The two Pokemon charged into each other, connecting quite evenly but due to the sheer size of Salamence, Hawlucha was knocked back. Ash grunted. "You alright Hawlucha?" He asked. Hawlucha nodded.

"I'm not gonna lose anymore!" Sawyer called out. "Salamence, Incinerate!"

Salamence spewed several fireballs at Hawlucha. "Dodge it!" Ash shouted and Hawlucha zoomed across the badland field, avoiding the hail of fire from above. Unfortunately for him, Salamence swooped right in front.

"Dragon Tail, go!" Sawyer ordered. The dragon's tail went green and he swung it into Hawlucha, sending it sprawling. Ash winced as Sawyer repeated, "Incinerate!"

"Dodge it!" Ash said again, and Hawlucha this time dodged the fireballs by weaving left and right through the fireballs, suddenly jumping up.

"Hawlucha, use X-Scissor!" Ash yelled. Hawlucha crossed its fists over his face and charged at Salamence and Salamence was breathing another fireball.

Hawlucha slammed into the fireball as it was released - and it bounced back at Salamence!

Sawyer gasped. "Quick Salamence, Protect!" He yelled, but his dragon pokemon couldn't respond in time, resulting in it taking the entire hit and sustaining huge damage. "What?!" He cried. "How did Hawlucha do that so quickly?!"

Ash wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "Hawlucha's learned a lot of neat tricks when he was just a wild pokemon, that i've managed to train him to use effectively!" he grinned. Sawyer's eyes widened, and an acknowledging smile blossomed on his face.

"I see! Well you've got your tactics, and we've got our strategies! Salamence, use Dragon Rush!"

Ash grinned. "Jump towards the ceiling!"

Hawlucha did so, leaping up and soaring, spreading its wings to gain height. Salamence proceeded to chase after Hawlucha.

"Now! Flying Press!" Ash yelled.

Hawlucha jumped onto the roof of the stadium while Salamence was about to close in on him, and springboarded off of the ceiling, and crashed directly on top of Salamence!

"Oh no!" Sawyer gasped in horror. "Dragon Rush isn't gonna block an attack from above!"

Salamence smashed into the battlefield, and fainted. Hawlucha landed shakily on its feet, quite hurt but still eager to continue.

"Salamence is unable to battle!" The referee declared.

Ash exhaled in relief. "Hawlucha, that was awesome."

Like Hawlucha, Sawyer was also still in the battle. "Thanks for the battle, Salamence!" He said as he returned his fallen dragon. "Alright Slurpuff, you're up next!"

He threw the pokeball, and the familiar pink pokemon Slurpuff appeared from the ball, ready to fight.

"Okay Hawlucha, let's do this! Flying Press!" Ash commanded.

Hawlucha spread his wings and soared towards Slurpuff, ready to perform his signature move.

"Slurpuff, Flamethrower!" Sawyer said. The flamethrower hit Hawlucha directly in midair, but it didn't stop him, and the move connected, and Slurpuff staggered back, as did Hawlucha.

"Now use High Jump Kick!"

"Oh no you don't! Dazzling Gleam, now!"

Hawlucha was about to move in for another attack, but Slurpuff jumped up and fired an array of lights onto the Luchador, causing a smoke cloud to kick up. "No! Hawlucha!" Ash shouted, but when the smoke cleared, his pokemon had fainted.

"Hawlucha is unable to battle!"

Ash pulled out a pokeball. "You've done a great job, Hawlucha! Don't worry, we've got this." Ash cracked a tendon in his neck, and loosened his shoulders. "Pikachu, you think you can do this?"

Pikachu grinned, entering the field once more.

Sawyer didn't look too concerned. "Pikachu's still quite weak from before!" he proclaimed. "All I gotta do is knock him out!"

Ash shook his head. "I wouldn't be too sure about that! Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

"Intercept that with Fairy Wind!" Sawyer ordered.

"Dodge it!" yelled Ash.

Pikachu ran at Slurpuff with breathtaking speed, frantically moving out of the way of the rush of Fairy Wind directed at him. Pikachu plowed into Slurpuff, who slid backwards through the dirt.

"Slurpuff, use Cotton Guard!"

"Don't let that happen, Pikachu! Electro Ball!"

As Slurpuff raised its arms and started surrounding itself in cotton, Pikachu took aim and sent its electric projectile right at Slurpuffs unprotected face, inflicting damage.

Sawyer cringed. The longer Ash kept this up, the more tired Slurpuff would become. Ash wasn't the most analytical person, but he was clever. Aggressive strategies would not work on Pikachu, but Sawyer needed this battle over quickly.

"Slurpuff, Dazzling Gleam!" he yelled.

Another set of shining lights rained towards Pikachu, who darted out of its range.

Ash thought hard. He had to find a defensive method of defeating Slurpuff. He had two options.

"Pikachu, do you trust me?" He glowered. His yellow friend nodded. "Alright. I'm gonna need to you Quick Attack, as fast as you can, around Slurpuff."

"Pi!" He affirmed. He then knelt down, and sprinted towards Slurpuff.

Sawyer grinned. "If thats how you're gonna play this, then use Fairy Wind!"

Slurpuff grunted and aimed it's attack at the sprinting Pikachu, but as it launched, Pikachu changed direction, veering past the fairy type and its wind attack. "Wait, what?!" Sawyer exclaimed, as he became increasingly more concerned.

"Now do it! Iron Tail!" Ash shouted.

Sawyer panicked. "Fairy Wind!"

Slurpuff turned around, and blasted another wind, but it couldn't stop the yellow mouse. Pikachu's silver-turned tail cut into the wind and landed a direct hit on Slurpuff's head.

A huge white haze ascended, shrouding the onlookers view of the aftermath. It took a long, long minute to clear.

Ash tensed - as did Sawyer. The smoke eventually cleared, to reveal Pikachu, and Slurpuff, unconscious next to each other.

"Both Pikachu and Slurpuff are unable to battle, resulting in a double knockout!" Stated the referee eagerly.

Ash ran into the field. "Pikachu!" he shouted. "Pikachu, you've done so amazing." He went to pick him up.

Pikachu opened his eyes and smiled weakly. "Pika..?"

Ash beamed. "Yeah... don't worry, you just get some rest and I'll win this."

"And Sawyer is on his last Pokémon, but Ash has still got two more ready at hand! Is this the end for Sawyer, or will we see a spectacular comeback?" The commentator said.

Sawyer pulled out a pokeball. "Ash. I remember when I first met you, and I was so far behind that I could do nothing except follow in your shadow. But now, I'm battling you in the Kalos League! And I'm not about to lose here!"

Ash smiled. "You have a strong bond with your Pokémon, Sawyer. As long as you have that, then you can be the best, no matter what! But don't think I'm about to get complacent here!" He then grabbed his own Pokeball.

"Sceptile, let's go!"

"Infernape, I choose you!"

The two Pokémon, a green gecko and a flaming monkey appeared and landed, facing each other on the edges battlefield.

Sawyer flinched. Ash had read his last Pokémon from the very beginning. Sawyer knew his Sceptile would really struggle against its type superior. Now was not the time to give up, though.

"And Ash starts with the Sinnoh native fire type, Infernape!" exclaimed the commentator. "This battle doesn't seem to look any better for Sawyer, that's for sure!"

Sawyer tried to block those cutting words from his head. "It's fine, I just gotta beat this... Just use what you've learned..."

Sceptile caught his eye. "Sceptile!" it grunted.

Sawyer smiled. "You're right! Okay then, lets just give it our all!"

Ash grinned. Looks like his friend wasn't quite done yet. "Infernape," he started, "Let's do this together! Use Flamethrower!"

Infernape growled, happy to be back in action, and quickly billowed a rush of flame at Sceptile.

"Cut through it with Dragon Claw!"

Sceptile responded to the flamethrower by steadying its claw, making it glow green to dice it until Infernape's move disintegrated.

"Okay Infernape, use Dig!" Ash commanded. Infernape buried himself into the ground. However, Sawyer unusually grinned.

"Sceptile, Frenzy Plant!"

Sceptile slammed its claw into the ground, but for some reason, the massive stalks never appeared. Suddenly Ash heard a rumble.

The ground exploded, a huge crater knocking Infernape upwards. The Frenzy Plant had hit him from under the field.

Infernape landed shakily on his feet in front of Ash. "You okay, Infernape?!" He asked. Infernape nodded, and Ash grimaced.

"Sceptile!" Sawyer continued. "Follow that with Leaf Blade!"

"Mach Punch, block it!" Ash called out.

The two moves slammed into each other, and neither one relented.

Sawyer clenched his teeth. "Sceptile, we can't hold back now! We've learned so much together, so let's give this everything we've got!"

Sawyer reached a hand towards the bookmark in his book. A keystone dangled off of the bookmark, like a bead of a necklace. Sawyer gripped it with shaky fingers. "Sceptile, Mega Evolve!"

The keystone glistened brightly, and then light burst out from it as if it were a lightbulb. The rays of light sauntered to Sceptile, amd reacted with it's scarf, connecting several rays between the Sceptilite and the keystone. Sceptile's body became enveloped in light, and when the light evaporated, it had transformed, with red outlines over it's body and a thicker, spikier tail.

Ash couldn't help but let a grin creep acrosd his face. "Alright! Now this is the battle I've wanted! And Sawyer, I'm sorry for the way for panicking back after we met at Snowbelle City. That wasn't me, and thank goodness, Serena managed to snap me out of it. I'm here now, and I'm gonna show you what I'm really made of!"

Sawyee beamed. "That's great to hear! And don't think we'd ever hold back! Sceptile, use Frenzy Plant!"

The now-empowered Sceptile struck the floor again, and vines emerged, on their way to ensnare Infernape. "Burn 'em down with Flamethrower!" shouted Ash.

Infernape allowed the vines to rush nearer to him, and with another breath of flame, they were all quickly incinerated and vanished.

"Dragon Claw!"

"Mach Punch!"

One by one, blow was pitted against blow, and yet Infernape and Sceptile both showed no signs of giving in.

Ash narrowed his eyes. "Keep going! Mach Punch again!"

Sawyer smirked. "Dodge and use Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile jumped up, and Infernape stumbled, throwing a punch at thin air. Sceptile spun and hit its spiky tail into Infernape's head, crashing the ape pokemon into the ground.

Ash exhaled sharply. "Man, they may be weak to Infernape, but those are some powerful moves."

"Sceptile, finish it up with Leaf Storm!" ordered Sawyer.

Ash shook his head. "Not this time! Infernape, Flare Blitz!"

Infernape got up to his feet. He stared down the flurry of oncoming leaves, and willed his body to become flaming hot.

Infernape charged at Sceptile, wreathed in blue flame, and pushed past the leaf storm effortlessly. He collided with the gecko, the supereffective move sending it sprawling to the ground.

Sawyer gasped. "What?! Leaf Storm must've done something!" He almost pleaded. His eyes widened, however, when he noticed Infernape, he was glowing red, steam visible above him.

Ash closed a fist in front of his face. "Oh, it did something all right! It activated Infernape's Blaze ability! And now, we're gonna be the ones to finish it!" He pointed a finger straight forward. "Use Dig!"

Infernape obliged, diving into the ground once again. "It's not gonna work, Ash!" Sawyer yelled through gritted teeth. "Frenzy Plant, let's go!"

Sceptile punched the ground again. Ash stepped forward. "Now Infernape, keep digging down, quickly!"

The underground vines caused an earthquake in tthe stadium, and even Ash was unsure if Infernape had made it out unscathed. He waited for the earthquake to subside. It felt like a lifetime.

Ash waited, and then slowly but surely, the tremours dissipated. "Now!" He screamed. "Do it!"

The ground shook once more, but this time, Infernape burst out from it, right under Sceptile, striking with a devastating uppercut. Sceptile was thrown up, and Sawyer could do nothing but watch in horror.

Sceptile crashed back down, the impact kicking up a cloud of dirt and debris. When that too subsided, Sceptile had already reverted to it's original form, completely passed out.

"Sceptile is unable to battle!" The referee shouted. "Infernape is the winner, and so the victor is Ash!"

The once silent crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Serena, Clemont and Bonnie all sprung out of their seats in unison, cheering and talking, while Tierno, Trevor and Shauna were laughing, conversing about the battle. "I knew it! I knew Ash could do it!" Serena shouted, delighted.

Tierno and Trevor were both open mouthed. "Woah." Tierno murmured. "Ash is awesome!"

Serena was cheering loudly, uncharacteristically for herself as she tended to be rather quiet in crowded places. However, her celebration was cut short by a buzz in her pocket. She took her travel guide out - it was receiving a call. "Hello?" she answered. Clemont looked over at her quizzically. "Ah! Okay, I'll be there! Give me a minute!" She hung up, and made to leave. "Sorry!" She told her friends. "I gotta go somewhere! I'll meet you back at the pokémon center, then I'll explain!" she shuffled past out of her seats and exited, before they could protest.

Sawyer, meanwhile, had dropped to his knees, struggling to believe it was finally over. When he did, he slowly pulled out a pokeball from his belt and returned his trusted Sceptile. "You've done so well, okay?" he coaxed the pokeball gently.

Ash had walked over to him. He offered a hand out. Sawyer looked up and took it. "That match made me experience everything!" Sawyer commented with a content smile. He sighed. "I guess I still have a long way to go before I can beat you, though."

Ash shook his head. "Nah, you gave me a real battle, alright! I was psyched up the whole time!"

Sawyer breathed. "Whew, it was a tough one. I didn't even get to challenge your sixth Pokemon. But I'm not quitting yet! One day i'll come back, and by then, i'd have so much experience, I'll even be able to beat you!"

"I'll hold you to that!" Ash grinned. "And when we meet again, we'll battle, got it?"

Sawyer returned the smile. "That's right!"

They shook hands again, and parted ways. "_The finals_..." Ash thought. "_The furthest I've ever gotten. And I just gotta get one more battle... Against Alain._"

* * *

**And that is the end of this chapter! Man, if this was difficult to write, and I literally just copied Sawyer's strategies across, this next battle is going to be a tough one, that's for sure!**

**But it's okay. When the Kalos League is over, I can finally start writing amourshipping. Which, undoubtedly, is the reason you all came to this story in the first place. And amourshipping is what I WANT to be writing, so I certainly will pour my heart into it :P**

**Anyway, thank you for reading, and I will see you next chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8: Final Fight to the Finish!

**Chapter 8: Ash and Alain's final fight to the finish!**

* * *

No sooner as Ash had left the stadium was he greeted by his good friends.

"Ash!" Serena cried when she saw him. "You've made it to the finals!"

She was beaming intensely, which made Ash scratch the back of his head, partly out of nervousness but also out of gratitude. After all, she had been in his position not long before the League, with her own Master Class. "Yeah!" He agreed. "The finals... The furthest i've gotten yet." His eyes drifted into a faraway look as he examined his pokeballs.

Serena, Bonnie and Clemont shared a worried glance, which snapped Ash back to reality when he saw them. "Alright!" He yelled, this time full of energy. Smiles quickly returned to the trio with him. "I've beaten Sawyer. Now i'm gonna beat Alain, and win this whole thing!"

* * *

Ash was giving his pokeballs to Nurse Joy when a very familiar face went over to greet them. "Hey kids!"

Meyer was standing in the corner of the room, with Clembot behind them, wearing a hot pink maid apron and holding two brimming plastic bags. "Hey Dad!" Bonnie said.

"Dad, Clembot!" Clemont exclaimed, pleasantly surprised. "What're you guys doing here?"

Meyer shrugged with a massive grin. "You know, just heard you were in town for the Pokemon League! Got you guys a little gift for the occasion!" He winked at Ash, a 'good luck' sentiment, and Clembot laid the bags down on a nearby table. The six of them sat down around it. Inside the bags were stacks of Lumiose's famous cakes! They thanked Meyer and Clembot profusely, and they all, including their Pokemon, proceeded to stuff the lot of it.

Ash leapt up. "That was delicious!" He exclaimed, but then he frowned. "Now, who do I pick for the finals..?"

Bonnie sighed. "Typical Ash. The only things on his mind is food and battles."

Serena and Clemont silently agreed, while Meyer continued to beam hugely. "Ah, now what a spirit that boy has! It's always good be as energetic as that. If only Clemont ran around half as much as Ash did."

Again, Serena and Bonnie silently agreed with that statement, while Clemont just let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm more than happy to let fitness take a backseat to my science, thank you very much Dad!" He grunted, annoyed. He turned to look at Ash, who was pacing back and forth, and doing circles, while Nurse Joy stared at him, half concerned but half amused.

Currently, he had six tired Pokemon in his roster, but he was keen to let them rest. "Whew, so, Hawlucha, Pikachu and Talonflame helped me get through the second round, and I did the quarters with Greninja, Hawlucha and Talonflame..." He focused intensely, trying to remember all the Pokemon he had at Oak's lab that could really beat Alain's two known Pokemon, which were Metagross and Charizard.

"So Ash." Clemont said as he walked up to his friend. "One thing you could do is have two Pokemon that are quick, two that are defensive, and two heavy hitters. after all, unpredictability is your biggest strength!"

Serena got up and joined them. "Don't forget, type matchups are going to come in very handy as well!" she added.

Ash made notes in his head. "Right. Different types, different battling styles... I think I got it - yeah, i'll try that. Thanks!"

"Hey Ash?" Nurse Joy called out. "Your pokemon are all healed! Break a leg in the finals!"

Ash grinned. "I sure will, Nurse Joy! Thanks!"

He headed to the computer, and dialled in a number. It turned on, and glowed brightly while waiting for the other end to pick up. Soon enough, Professor Oak's face reappeared. "Why hello there Ash!"

"Hey, professor! Whatcha doin?"

Oak let out a long sigh. "I was studying Noivern when I got too close, and received a very potent Boom Burst for it." Ash winced. "I'm getting too old for this, but no matter! I'm still going strong!" He said, making Ash laugh slightly.

"Uh, professor?"

"You need to switch your pokemon, right? Don't worry, I'm on it!"

Ash grinned. "Thanks!"

* * *

Ash returned to his group, who seemed to be talking to someone he didn't recognise. "Hey everyone!"

Serena stood up. "Hi Ash!" She put a hand on the shoulder of the unfamiliar girl. She wore a green cap, and had short-ish auburn hair. "Ash, this is Mairin, Mairin, this is Ash!"

Ash stuck out his hand. "Hey Mairin, nice to meetcha!"

Mairin looked at him, somewhat in awe. "Nice to meet you too!" She said as she shook his hand. Then her eyes widened all of a sudden. "Wait a minute! You're that trainer who's gonna battle Alain in the finals!"

"That's right!" Ash nodded. "So you know Alain then!"

"Yep! I travel with him! He's super strong, you're gonna lose!" She beamed.

Ash closed his eyes, grinning. "Ah, but you haven't seen me battle him! There's no way I'm losing!"

Mairin looked at him admiringly. "Wow..."

"So Ash, who're you choosing for the finals?" Bonnie asked.

Ash put a hand against his belt. "Actually, lets go outside, and you can see for yourself!" The other three also seemed interested, and they followed him round the back of the Pokemon center.

He picked the first off of his belt. "Okay, come on out, Swellow!"

The ball opened in his hand, and a bird, around the size of Talonflame, swooped next to Ash. It let out a friendly, yet very powerful call.

Ash hugged the bird. "Hey Swellow! It's been a long time, bud!" He scratched him under his beak, to which Swellow responded with a soft caw.

Bonnie's eyes were glowing, as were Mairins. "So cool!" they said in unison.

Ash puffed his chest out in pride, and gave Swellow a headpat. "I met Swellow when it was just a Taillow in the Hoenn region! In terms of speed, Swellow is unmatched. This is one of the fastest, and most hardworking pokemon ive ever caught."

He then got out his next. "Alright then! Come on out, Snorlax!"

Ash threw this Pokeball, unusually quite far away from the group. A huge pokemon materialised in the air, and crashed down in front of them, sending shockwaves to their feet.

"Woah!" Clemont gasped. "It must be bigger than the Snorlax at the castle!"

Snorlax gave Ash a great big bear-hug. "It's good to see you too, Snorlax!" He laughed. "Now he, is a heavy hitter, Clemont! You should've seen him at the Johto League!"

Bonnie beamed, and joined the hug. "He's so nice and fluffy, i like him!" She giggled.

Ash wrenched himself out of Snorlax's grip. "Yep! He may not look it, but he's quite fast as well!"

Snorlax then scratched his belly, and suddenly, he began to fall backwards. "Oh no!" Bonnie cried.

Snorlax hit the ground, causing yet another miniature quake, and fell asleep. Ash sweat dropped, but grinned. "You know what, you get your sleep, buddy. We're gonna conquer this League tomorrow!" Snorlax lazily put a fist up to bump Ash.

"And now," Ash started dramatically, "for the grand finale! Go, Charizard!"

He tossed the pokeball high into the air, and it opened to cause a huge shadow above them. Another crash ensued, and Ash's friends found themselves face to face with a massive Charizard!

Mairin seemed delighted. "Woah, it looks so strong! Maybe stronger than Alain's!"

"Charizard!" Ash shouted happily. Charizard beamed hugely, and promptly sprayed a Flamethrower all over his trainer.

Ash emerged from the fire, blackened with soot and his hair was mushroomed. "pweh!" he spat the char from his mouth. "Yes, that's just what we'll need! It's getting stronger each year!"

He fist-bumped Charizard, and then turned back to his friends, who seemed extremely shocked that Ash just shrugged off a full on flamethrower. "Uh, Ash?" Clemont started, but Ash cut him off.

"Nah, dont worry about it! Charizard's been with me, almost since the beginning of my journey, ever since he was a Charmander. Man, it was the worst I've ever felt, the circumstances on how I met him." His face was originally quite cheerful, but suddenly his expression went darker.

Charizard didn't look as bothered, but clearly it knew what Ash meant. Serena stared at him worriedly. "What do you mean?"

Ash sighed. "Well, when I first met Charmander... You see, I saw him sitting on a rock, and when we got to the Pokémon center, Nurse Joy told us it's trainer had abandoned it."

The four listening to him gasped in shock. Ash carried on - "It began to downpour, so me and two of my close friends - Brock and Misty - we headed over back to the rock, to see if Charmander was okay, but Brock told me that if the flame went out on his tail, it would actually die. When we got to him, it didn't look like he was gonna make it. But we got him back to the Pokemon center, and Nurse Joy managed to nurse him back to full health. By then, I guess Charmander realised that his trainer was a nasty creature, so long story short, he tagged along with me!"

Ash's smile had returned by the end of the story, and Charizard looked pleased as well, grunting knowingly as he told it.

"Huh... You really have been through a lot!" Mairin concluded aloud to herself.

Ash nodded with a smile. "My journey - my experiences - they've all shaped me as a person. I wouldn't trade everything I've done for the world." He gazed at his outstretched hand, and he closed it into a fist. "Just imagine, Ash Ketchum, the Pokémon Master! Now that's my dream!"

Mairin looked at him with admiration. Serena closed her eyes and placed a hand on her heart. The boy she was travelling with, Ash Ketchum... No matter what he talks about, he always manages to stay so positive. She thought to herself, just about how good of a person he was.

"And, well, that's it, I guess. I'm keeping on Pikachu and Greninja, but as for my sixth - well, I'm still trying to figure that one out."

Serena lowered her head and stepped forward. "Um, Ash?"

Ash faced her. "Yeah, Serena?"

"Actually, you're trying to find a very defensive Pokemon, right?" She grinned hugely and thrust a pokeball into his hand.

Ash looked taken aback, but when he felt the pokeball, his eyes widened. The pokeball was warm to the touch, and slightly sticky. He knew whose this was.

"Oh, Arceus, Serena, you didnt-" his voice drifted away mid sentence as a smile crept over his face.. he held the pokeball in front of him, and clicked it open.

Out from it emerged his faithful slime giant.

Goodra.

Goodra beamed at Ash, who stared in bewilderment and exhilaration. "Goodra!" he finally cried. "I've missed you!"

He ran into Goodras open arms, and they smiled at each other. After a bit, they broke away, and Ash wiped the slime off his clothes.

Ash turned back to Serena. His eyes shone appreciatively. "Oh, Serena! You're the best!" He grinned at her, and she stood facing him, beaming back. Suddenly, Ash went up to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you so much, you're brilliant!"

Serena, meanwhile, was blushing too intently to hear him. Even when Ash broke away, oblivious to what he had just done, Serena's face had gone scarlet in colour.

Ash's eyes widened. "Serena, are you okay? Oh no, i didn't hurt you, did I?!"

Serena smiled uncontrollably. "N-n-n-no! D-don't worry about it!" she stuttered.

Ash frowned. He was worried he did something wrong, or perhaps the hug was a bit too far?

Mairin sidled up to Bonnie. "Hey, does Serena..?"

Bonnie nodded, exasperated. "Yep. Ash is way too dense to notice though." She said aloud, making Ash turn around, and Serena blush even harder. Mairin giggled.

"Bonnie, you can't say things like that aloud!" Clemont muttered, out of Ash's earshot.

Bonnie and Mairin both burst into peals of laughter. Eventually, Mairin got her breath back.

"Ash, you have such a good bond with your pokemon! I can tell you've raised them very well!"

Ash smiled. "Thanks, Mairin." Then his expression changed to wonder. "Actually, are you a pokemon trainer?"

Mairin looked down, and withdrew into herself. "Uh, yeah." She murmured. "I have a Chespin named Chespie, but right now, she's very sick and I'm not sure what to do."

They all nodded empathetically. Serena laid a hand on Mairin's shoulder. "Listen, if there's anything we can do to help, you let us know. I promise I'll be with you in an instant."

Mairin beamed. "That's so kind of you all! But don't worry about Chespie! He's being taken care of in Lysandre Labs! Lysandre's really smart, i bet Chespie will be good to go soon!"

Ash grinned. "That's great to hear! I'll tell Alain that you're here as we-"

Mairin shook her head. "No, actually, I wanted to surprise Alain after he won the finals. Or well, after meeting you, it might be more of an even match than I expected!" But anyway, I was originally staying with Lysandre in a VIP box, but could I sit with you guys instead?"

"Of course you can! You can sit next to me!" Bonnie said excitedly.

Ash raised his arms in the air. "Alright! It's time to get in a little extra training! Charizard, our biggest challenge will be Alain's Charizard, but you've got all that training from Charizific! Speaking of which, have you ever fought a Mega Charizard?"

Charizard shook his head and snorted flames confidently, as if to say "_What's a mega to me? I'll take him, no sweat_."

"Alright then! Charizard, you mind if we train against you?"

Charizard growled with enthusiasm. He fist-bumped Pikachu and Snorlax, then turned back to Ash. "Alright!" the trainer yelled. Let's do this!"

Clemont chuckled. "Well, let's leave them to it, shall we?" He headed back to the Pokémon Center, followed by Bonnie and Mairin.

Serena took one last glance at Ash, and then followed the others. "_He's working so hard... You can do it, Ash._"

* * *

"The final round of the Lumiose Conference is about to begin! This match will be the deciding match, to see which contestant should move on to the Champions League!" Explained the commentator, bustling with excitement. "Today we have Professor Sycamore with us, an esteemed researcher here in Lumiose, and also the Champion of Kalos herself, Champion Diantha!"

Diantha showed her face, and the entire crowd jumped up excitedly. Serena looked around with wide eyes. "Wow, she's probably even more popular than Aria was!"

Clemont nodded. "Like I said, these Leagues are extremely competitive. There must be hundreds of thousands of people across the globe tuning in to see this. You can expect that for about every other region too." He explained. "I, for one, have seen many Kalos and Hoenn conferences." Serena sweat dropped. Hundreds of thousands of pairs of eyes on Ash. The thought of it drew a pit in her stomach.

"The chosen battlefield will be a rock and water one! Now please give a cheer for our two skilled finalists, Ash and Alain!" The commentator bellowed.

As Ash and Alain entered, again the stadium rumbled with cheering and applause from the entire audience. Even the clapping of those watching on the screens just outside the Colosseum were audible.

The two teenagers met in the center. "I'm not gonna hold back, Ash!" Alain said simply. However, he smiled, eager to battle his friend.

Ash grinned also. "You bet I'm not gonna either! Let's give it our all!"

Alain nodded with a smile, and they went into their positions.

"This battle will be the same as the semifinals! A six on six, and substitutions are allowed. When three of a trainer's pokemon have been defeated, the battlefield will change, and when all six of one's have been defeated, the battle will be over! So are you ready?"

Alain gripped his first Pokeball. They both nodded to the referee.

"Well then..." The ref took a deep breath, and grinned. "Both of you, good luck! You may begin!"

Ash turned to his partner. "You ready Pikachu?"

The electric mouse beamed, determined, and darted forward.

Meanwhile, in the audience, Serena felt a rustle in her pocket. Then, a flash of blue light emerged next to her, causing her own Pikachu, Popstar, to land on her lap. Popstar stared down at the battlefield.

Her three other friends looked at Serena with surprise. "Wow Serena, you caught a Pikachu? Look at her outfit, its adorable!" Shauna gushed.

Serena laughed. "Yeah! This little one's called Popstar! She's a Pikachu movie star, but she was a fan of my performance, and so I let her come with me!" She explained. She ruffled the fur on Popstar's head. "I see you want to have a look at Ash's Pikachu, huh!" Popstar nodded enthusiastically.

Back on the battlefield, Alain chucked the ball in his hand. "Go, Tyranitar!" He called out. A huge dinosaur-like pokemon, Tyranitar, emerged, glaring aggressively.

A sandstorm kicked up randomly.

"Ah, here we're witnessing Tyranitar's ability, Sand Stream! This sandstorm will prove to be very difficult for Pikachu to see!" The commentator explained.

"Okay Tyranitar, Dark Pulse!" Alain commanded.

Tyranitar obeyed, firing a beam of purple matter at Pikachu.

"Dodge it!"

Pikachu promptly got out of the way. The sandstorm swirled past Pikachu and bounced off of the water in the center. Ash saw - and suddenly a lightbulb flashed in his head.

"Hey Pikachu, splash water with Iron Tail!"

Pikachu did so - he spun through the storm and crashed his tail down on top of the river. the water leapt up from the force of the move and effectively neutralised the Sand Stream ability, all while soaking Tyranitar in water. "You what?!" Alain gaped.

"And now use Thunderbolt!" Ash grinned. Pikachu, who was still drifting through the air, aimed a bolt to electrocute the Tyranitar. While the type disadvantage was noticeable, it still did heavy damage because of the water.

"Don't let up, Pikachu! Electro Ball, go!"

Alain growled. "Use Stone Edge!"

This time, when Pikachu launched the Electro Ball, Tyranitar summoned a large pillar of rock to stop it.

"Break it!" Alain shouted.

Then, Tyranitar swept its tail and smashed the rock it had summoned, sending a barrage of stones at Pikachu. In response, the mouse turned around and reflected the rocks with his tail, sending them flying back towards Tyranitar and dealing even more damage!

Alain looked bewildered. Ash used this factor to his advantage, and shouted, "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Alain shook off his amazement to put his head back in the moment. "Crunch, quick!" he shouted.

Pikachu swung down om top of Tyranitar - however, the armour Pokemon caught the mouse with its teeth. Pikachu yelped.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball!"

While Pikachu was struggling to escape Tyranitar's powerful jaws, he summoned a ball of electricity on the tip of his tail, causing the ball to implode in his opponents mouth. Tyranitar staggered back, and collapsed.

"Tyranitar is unable to battle!" declared the referee.

"Wow, what a quick first knockout by Ash and Pikachu!" The commentator stated excitedly. "Can Alain keep up against that quick thinking?"

Alain smiled. "Tyranitar, return!" he called, absorbing his pokémon back into its haven. "Okay, take a rest, you've earned it." he coaxed.

He grabbed another ball and spun it into the arena. "Go Weavile!"

A Weavile burst out of the pokeball and landed swiftly in front of Alain.

Ash smiled. "Hey Pikachu, return for now, okay?"

Pikachu nodded, and ran back to Ash, crawling up onto his shoulder.

"Okay! I choose you, Snorlax!"

He threw is own pokeball, and when it hit the ground, Snorlax appeared, looking pleased with himself.

Alain looked impressed. "Wow, what a Snorlax..!" he muttered to himself.

Ash grinned. "Snorlax, use Ice Punch!"

Snorlax obliged, and suddenly dashed forward. Alain was amazed by the massive pokemon's agility, but shrugged it off. "Weavile, Protect!"

Weavile barely managed to shield itself, and Snorlax staggered off it.

"Now use Night Slash!"

Weavile was able to quickly leap up and strike Snorlax as he was left wide open. Snorlax drifted back through the dirt but remained standing.

Ash thought for a minute. "Hey Snorlax, get back!" he shouted.

Snorlax spun on his heel, lumbering back to where Ash was.

Alain's eyes narrowed. "Weavile, use Ice Beam!"

"Snorlax, Protect!" Ash shouted.

Snorlax effectively shielded himself from the ray of ice sent sent at him.

"That's not gonna work! Weavile, use Dragon Claw!"

This time, Weavile followed up the attack quickly with another melee, landing a blow on Snorlax's stomach - another critical hit. Yet, Snorlax still proceeded to tank the hits.

Ash looked up to Snorlax. "Okay, use Rest!"

Snorlax looked more than happy to do so, and was asleep before he even hit the ground.

Concern crept into Alain's head. That wasn't a normal manoeuvre - what was Ash planning?

"Weavile, use Night Slash!" he yelled.

Weavile did so - its claw went black and hit Snorlax in the stomach. Snorlax waved a paw at Weavile while he was still asleep, seemingly unaffected by the move.

Weavile still carried on doing so. Another strike. And again.

Suddenly, Snorlax lifted its head. Ash punched the air in exhilaration. "Now, Snorlax! Ice Punch, let's go!"

Weavile barely had time to move out the way before it took on a heavy fist, inflicting quite a bit of damage.

"Weavile!" Alain shouted.

"Snorlax, finish this with Hyper Beam!" Ash yelled, and Snorlax bellowed; his voice filled the whole stadium. He spewed a jet of overwhelming energy, and Weavile couldn't escape. Weavile was knocked against the ground, and fainted.

"What a powerful Snorlax!" roared the commentator. "But now Ash is up 2-0! How will Alain make a comeback?!"

Alain grunted as he returned Weavile, coaxing it kindly as it was absorbed back into the pokeball. "Go, Bisharp!"

He tossed his next ball into the air, and a steel plated pokemon appeared. "Okay Bisharp, use Thunder Wave!"

Snorlax yawned complacently, however Ash didn't look as relaxed. "No Snorlax, you gotta dodge it!" He shouted.

Unfortunately, it was too late - Snorlax didn't have the time to move, so took the full shot of electricity, making his legs buckle. He hit the ground with a thud, causing the arena to shake and Bisharp to lose his footing.

"Bisharp, Guillotine!" Alain commanded.

Bisharp's arms shone silver, and he thrust them in front of him as he dashed forward. "Snorlax, Ice Punch!"

Snorlax attempted to get back up, but the electricity overwhelmed him, and the pokemon stared helplessly as Bisharp came towards him and struck, knocking the giant out.

"Snorlax is unable to battle!" announced the referee.

"Return Snorlax!" Ash said, as the pokeball seemed to consume the massive giant in red light. "You've done an awesome job, old friend."

Ash gazed at the pokeball in his hand, smiling. "Okay Goodra, you're up!" He shouted, tossing it.

A giant slime emerged from the ball, landing on the ground while beaming. "Goodra, goo!"

Ash grinned. "Alright, use Rain Dance!"

Goodra looked delighted, thus raising his arms in the air. Dark, heavy clouds appeared overhead, promptly pouring a rainstorm onto the entire arena, even the audience!

Meanwhile, Shauna and Trevor looked devastated. "Man, that Rain Dance is just overdoing it!" Shauna complained.

Serena seemed uncaring of it. "Come on, Ash and Goodra!" She cheered.

Clemont raised an eyebrow. "Huh, Serena, it's kind of unlike you to be unfazed by this rain." He commented.

Serena chuckled sheepishly. "I guess I'm just getting too into this battle to notice."

Clemont shrugged and turned back to the fight. "Though, that is pretty good going by Ash. Considering Goodra's ability is Hydration, Bisharp's Thunder Wave isn't going to do anything to him."

Goodra splashed happily. Ash looked pleased with his pokemon. "Okay, now use Ice Beam!" He shouted.

Alain focused. "Iron Head, go!"

Bisharp deftly got out of the way of the freezing rays, which instead skimmed over the floor, freezing it in front of the soldier Pokemon. It steeled its head and charged at Goodra. "Catch him!" Ash yelled.

Goodra used his antannae to stop Bisharp in its tracks. Then, with incredible power and to the shock of the viewers, Bisharp was lifted and thrown into the air!

The force caused Bisharp to fall and take damage. Ash grinned. "Keep it up, Goodra! Dragon Pulse!"

This time, a purple flame emanated from Goodra's mouth, and he fired it.

"Focus Blast!" shouted Alain.

The two moves collided, in midair, causing smoke to lift. "Now try Iron Head again!" Alain urged his pokemon.

"Goodra, use Bide!" Ash commanded.

Goodra obliged, a determined expression seeping into his face, and then he began to faintly glow red. Bisharp rammed into him, and the dragon type skidded backwards, but didn't flinch - instead, the red glow became a deeper scarlet.

Alain's eyebrow furrowed deeply. He knew doing too much could be risky, but this could be also be an opportunity. He read Ash's face - it bore the same expression as his own. "Focus Blast!" He ordered.

Bisharp fired another blue ball of energy at Goodra, who cried out in pain. Ash gritted his teeth. "Just hang in there, Goodra! You can do it!"

"Not for long!" Alain growled. "Iron Head, once more!"

Bisharp once again charged into Goodra, but this time, the glow became an incredible bright red. "Do it!" Ash bellowed.

Goodra screamed, and a huge white beam of energy erupted from his mouth, completely enveloping the steel type with the force of three powerful moves, at double the strength. Bisharp collapsed, completely out.

"Bisharp is unable to battle!" the referee announced. "Three of Alain's pokemon have been defeated, so the battlefield will now change!"

Goodra went onto Ash's platform, and then the rock and water field lowered into the ground. This time, it was replaced with a flat grass field. Goodra steppedd back out onto it, the damp grass making the slime feel welcome.

Alain was taken aback as to how much Goodra was able to tank. However, he still smiled. "_I guess that's just the power of a pseudo-legendary pokemon._" he acknowledged.

He returned his pokemon, thanking it silently for the battle. He clutched his next ball. "Unfezant, your turn!"

This time, a bird flew out of the pokeball, fluttering down the ground. "Wow, an Unfezant!" Ash exclaimed, as memories of raising his own in Unova returned to him.

"Your opponent's weak, Unfezant!" Alain called out. "Sky Attack, let's go!"

Goodra prepared to dodge, but his eyes were no match for Unfezants speed. Instead, the bird soared into him, causing him to fall and lose consciousness.

"Goodra is unable to battle!"

Ash breathed deeply. He pulled out a pokeball, and recalled Goodra. "You've done really well, now lets get you some rest, 'kay?" He softly told the unconscious pokemon. He readied his next ball. "If its an air battle you want, then that's what you'll get!" Ash declared, tossing the pokeball straight upward. Another bird entered the fray - Ash's Swellow.

Swellow shrieked loudly, eager to battle once again. "That's the spirit!" Ash beamed.

The two birds locked eyes with each other. Suddenly, they took to the air, swooping over the arena, above the spectators.

"Quick Attack!"

"Steel Wing!"

The two pokemon collided with each other at fierce speed, swerved, and did so again. Their agility seemed to be matched. "Okay, Double Team!" Ash shouted.

Swellow summoned copies of itself to swarm around Unfezant. Alain grimaced. "Use Air Slash!"

Unfezant quickly tore through the copies one by one - but it couldn't do so quickly enough. The real Swellow loomed above. "Now use Peck!" ordered Ash, and Swellow's beak sharpened to grind into the opposing bird, inflicting damage.

Meanwhile, the commentator seemed to be dazzled. "Now this is an aerial battle the likes of which the Kalos League has never seen!"

And he was right. Swellow and Unfezant countered move against move, and neither side looked as though they were ready to let up.

Ash put his hand to his forehead, deep in thought. Then finally, an idea hit him.

"Swellow, use Double Team, and get away!" he yelled.

Swellow obliged, sending forth matching shadows of itself, yet again. This time, however, the Swellow flock travelled together, soaring through the air in a flying V.

"Don't lose sight of it!" Alain maintained. "Chase it with Steel Wing!"

Unfezant's wings shone silvery yet again, and it picked off the shadows from the flying V, slowly creeping towards the real Swellow who was leading the pack. Alain felt very nervous. If Ash intended to use an evasive move, why have it obvious which Swellow was the real one?

Unfezant finally caught up with Swellow, and landed its attack.

But then, Swellow vanished. Alain gasped - and Unfezant stopped dead.

"Alright!" Ash boomed. "Show them what you're truly made of! Get ready, Alain! This is Swellow's famous Aerial Ace!"

Alain looked up in horror, to see Swellow, directly above his own head. The swallow swooped down, and sped towards the dazed Unfezant. It's stomach feathers were a hair's breadth from the ground as Swellow ascended quickly again, and all of a sudden, disappeared.

"What on Earth?!" Alain stammered. Swellow reappeared only to tackle Unfezant and send it sprawling onto the ground, having completely knocked out.

"Unfezant is unable to battle!"

"What's this?!" The commentator boomed in his booth. "I've... I've never seen anything like it! Did Ash's Swellow move so quick it disappeared from our vision?! Incredible!"

Alain recalled his pokemon, utterly awestruck. Apparently, in the aisles, so was Trevor, as he seemed to leap up and point madly at Ash's Swellow.

"That move! I've seen that before!" He squeaked loudly. Five heads turned to face him, curious. Trevor bounced up and down, still pointing. "I saw that Swellow do the exact samedisappearing Aerial Ace when I watched a pokemon League for the first time, three years ago!" He explained wildly. "I can't believe I was watching Ash's battle that time!"

Shauna, Bonnie, Clemont and Serena looked bewildered whereas Tierno gasped and nodded. "That's right! That's actually where I met Trevor - just before I set off on my journey in Kalos, we were both watching the Hoenn League live. I remember now!"

Serena tilted her head. "Well, what do you know!" she commented. "Small world!"

Meanwhile, Ash scratched his nose while beaming. "How'd you like that one, Alain?!"

Alain smiled. "I'm truly impressed, Ash! But now, party's over! Now i'm gonna show you _our_ full strength!"

He moved into a battle stance and tossed another pokeball.

This time, a huge pokemon, made completely of steel, emerged with bright red eyes. Its vocal was mechanical and creaky.

"Swellow, use Quick Attack!"

"Metagross, use Agility!"

Swellow darted forward at Metagross, ready to impact, but the latter swiftly avoided the attack and zipped around the grassy field. Ash's eyes widened. "Man, that's fast! Swellow, chase it down!"

Swellow did so, tailing the steel pseudo-legendary all over the arena, when it suddenly jumped above the bird. "Now, Meteor Mash!" Alain commanded.

Metagross crashed its front limbs on top of Swellow, inflicting serious damage. Swellow hit the ground hard. "No, Swellow!" Ash cried.

Swellow tried to push itself back up using his wings, but it was too much - he collapsed, unconscious.

"Swellow is unable to battle!" the referee stated.

Ash grimaced, shocked at Metagross' power. "Swellow, you've been awesome, now return!" he called out as he called back his faithful bird.

He looked to his left, where Pikachu was gripping his shoulder. "Alright buddy, wanna have a shot?"

Pikachu grinned. "Pikapika!" he leapt off of Ash and landed squarely on the grass as he proceeded to stare intensely at his foe.

"Alright, we'll start this with a Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu leapt up, surrounding itself in a yellow discharge. He released the bolt, promptly enveloping Metagross and dealing damage. However, Metagross shook it off and cut off Pikachu while he was running.

"Metal Claw!" Alain ordered.

Metagross' limbs turned silver in colour, and it smashed Pikachu in the face, sending the mouse flying upwards and crying out. "Follow that up with Rock Slide!"

Pikachu landed solidly on his feet, but had to recover quickly from the blow, in order to dodge the onslaught of sharp rocks, like daggers, sauntering towards him all too quickly. Pikachu was cornered however, and a rock clipped his tail, injuring him.

"Finish this! Meteor Mash!"

Metagross lumbered towards Pikachu, who was wobbling too much to dodge, and Ash watched, helpless, while Pikachu took the brunt of yet another powerful move.

The electric type crashed back in front of Ash, having fainted. "Pikachu is unable to battle!" the referee said.

Ash's eyebrow's furrowed. His big lead was quickly falling short. He had to defeat this Metagross, quickly.

He picked up his partner gently, and placed him by his feet. "Sorry Pikachu. Don't worry, you just get some rest."

His hand gripped his next pokeball. "I hope i'm as ready as I know you are, buddy." He told it. Then he tossed it - "Go, Charizard!"

Charizard emerged from the blue light, and roared as he swept onto the ground.

Alain grinned hugely. "A Charizard, eh! I'll bet it's strong!"

Ash returned the grin. "That's right! The strongest Charizard there is!"

"We'll see about that! Okay Metagross, use Rock Slide!"

Metagross summoned another flurry of rocks, but Charizard managed to nimbly breeze past each one. "Charizard, use Flamethrower!"

Charizard obliged, and a wreath of burning orange flame wrapped over Metagross, inflicting substantial damage.

"Now, Wing Attack!"

"Metal Claw!"

Attack once again landed on top of attack, causing a stalemate at the two pokemon collided. However, Ash looked pleased. "Now's your chance! Dragon Tail!"

Blocking with its wing, Charizard turned in the air and smashed Metagross into the earth with his powerful tail, rendering the metal pokemon unconscious.

"Metagross is unable to battle!" The referee said.

Ash smiled. "And now, the moment I've been waiting for."

Alain agreed. "I hope you're ready, Ash. Your Charizard is strong, I'll give you that. But does it stand a chance against Mega Evolution? We'll see." he grabbed his final pokeball and threw it. "Let's do this! Charizard!"

Alain's Charizard entered the stadium, and faced off against Ash's. He wore a mechanical necklace, which had a shining orb in it's center. Ash was dead certain he knew what that was - he'd seen it on many pokemon before. Korrina's Lucario, Diantha's Gardevoir, and Sawyer's Sceptile, for instance.

Ash's Charizard snarled, happy to face what he deemed a worthy opponent. A one on one, fire against fire.

"Flamethrower!" the two trainers yelled simultaneously.

Both dragons roared a billowing flame at each other, and they both clashed evenly.

"Into the air, now!" Alain commanded.

"Follow it, and use Slash!" Ash urged.

The two Pokémon took to the skies, and Charizard attempted to keep up, and managed to zoom into Charizard with a painful Slash attack. "Charizard!" Alain shouted. "Flamethrower, go!"

Alain's Charizard fired a flame again, but this time it hit its opponent, and inflicted damage. Charizard winced, beginning to feel the effects of its battle with Metagross. The collision that outed the metal pokemon took more out of him than he anticipated.

Ash sucked in air sharply. "Use Dragon Tail, Charizard!" he yelled.

Alain stared up at the dragons. "Dragon Claw, now!"

The pokemon struck each other once more, and the two dragon type moves hitting each other ended up being powerful enough to creature an explosion where they made contacted. Ash's Charizard reeled out of the dust cloud, pained. Ash cringed with worry.

"Now Charizard!" Alain screamed. He felt so exhilarated, his hands started to shake. "Blast Burn!"

Charizard became quickly enveloped in blue flames, and soared directly at the other, who couldn't react in time. He was hit - and fell out of the sky. He slammed against the grass, knocking out cold.

"Ash's Charizard is unable to battle!" announced the referee.

* * *

Clemont and Sawyer both stared worriedly at Ash. "Man, he had such a lead, and now its one to one again." Sawyer exclaimed.

Serena shook her head. "I believe in Ash. He'll win this battle for sure."

* * *

Now both sides were down the their last pokemon. Ash returned Charizard with a smile. "You've done awesomely, Charizard. Now leave the rest to me."

He put the pokeball back onro his belt, and felt around for his last. The first Kalosian pokemon he had caught. One with a power unlike which anybody had ever seen before.

"Go, Greninja!" He bellowed.

Out from this pokeball the he threw, came his frog pokemon, Greninja.

Alain beamed. "So here we are, Ash! The big finale! Don't give up on me now!"

Ash scratched his cheek, grinning. "Wouldn't dream of it, Alain! We're gonna give you absolutely everything we've got!"

Greninja grunted in affirmation, preparing itself, both mentally, and physically, for it's newfound power. Ash thrust a fist out in front of him. "We're gonna win this, and get stronger... _and stronger!_" He screamed. "Raaaaahh!"

Greninja did so also, and soon their hearts became one and interconnected. Ash could see through Greninja's eyes, and Greninja heard Ash's thoughts. The water type soon became surrounded by a huge brine.

Alain shook with excitement. "I haven't felt this way in who knows how long now... But I'm having so much fun battling! So now it's our turn! Charizard, this is to go beyond evolution! Mega Evolve!"

Alain pressed his fingers against his wristband. There was a stone with a DNA shaped pattern in its centre, just like the stone on the pendant Charizard wore around its neck. The two stones started glowing with incredible brightness, the light shooting several rays connecting Alain to Charizard. When the light finally dissipated, Charizard had become Mega Charizard X - a black variant, with blue flames emanating from its mouth.

The two trainers made eye contact; their empowered pokemon did so also.

"Alain, this has been one of the greatest battles of my life, but I'm glad we can end it like this." Ash announced broadly.

Alain shared the same feeling. "I should be thanking you, Ash. I've never enjoyed battling as much as I have done with you." But then, his eyebrows deepened as he frowned. "I'm going to be the best. I'll never lose to anyone!" He declared.

Ash smiled, and turned to Greninja. "You ready?"

Greninja nodded. "Then let's go! use Double Team!"

the Ash-Greninja charged at Mega Charizard, and started to relese copies of himself, disguising himself with them.

"Use Flamethrower!" Alain called out, and A jet of fire poired from Charizard, taking out all of the clones in one fell swoop.

"Water Shuriken!"

"Dragon Claw!"

Once again, Greninja lobbed a small throwing start from behind Charizard, who in turn spun around and shredded it using his glistening claw.

Alain commanded another dragon claw, and Ash an Aerial Ace, and once again the moves collided.

Greninja and Charizard maintained a long period of clashing with each other, but then Charizard found its opportunity and struck Greninja, making it fall backwards.

Ash cringed and grabbed his shoulder, starting to feel the pain.

* * *

Serena bit her lip, praying for Ash's safetly. "Please, dont overdo it..." She whispered.

* * *

At that point, the adrenaline was rushing through Ash's body, too heavily for his brain to register the pain of Dragon Claw.

Next, Alain called for Flamethrower. "Cut through it!" Ash urged.

This time, when the roaring blue flames cam at Greninja, a makeshift blade tore through it. Greninja and Charizard stopped dead in front of each other, if only for a moment.

"Charizard, use Blast Burn!"

The black Charizard became blue with brilliant heat surrounding itself, and started to charge at Greninja. "Quick, use Water Shuriken into the ground!" Ash yelled.

Greninja obliged, cutting into the grass with a huge shuriken, causing a giant stream of water to burst up and hit the oncoming Charizard, stopping it dead in it's tracks and making steam billow out where the water type move had it the fire type.

"And now, Aerial Ace!"

Greninja darted through the steam cloud, and neither Charizard nor Alain could spot him He landed a blow on the massive dragon, slamming him headfirst onto the floor.

"It's not over yet!" Alain growled. "Dragon Claw!"

While Charizard was still on the ground, its fist turned green, and before Greninja could dodge, he was struck in the head by the move.

Ash flinched and breathed sharply, while Greninja struggled back onto his feet. "Use Cut!"

"Dragon Claw, again!"

Like before, it became a fierce match of move pitted against move. Both trainers simultaneously ordered attacks, Thunder Punch against Water Shuriken, and neither side gave so much as an inch.

The two attacks clashed as they had done previously, until Greninja managed to overwhelm Charizard, and he slammed a shuriken right into the dragon's chest.

"Greninja, now it's time to give then the true taste of your power!" Ash grinned. Greninja nodded, ans suddenly a torrent completely enveloped the frog, a huge wave that formed into an equally sized Water Shuriken, garnering so much energy that the water inside it looked like a blazing orange - Ash-Greninja's ultimate attack.

Alain was stunned by the sight. he clenched his teeth, his blood surging through his veins and making his face red from the battle. "Charizard, don't let up! Use Blast Burn, full power!" He bellowed.

Ash's fist tightened until his knuckles turned white. He watched, through both Greninja's sight and his own, Charizard begin to take off and use it's most powerful move. "_DO IT_!" he screamed.

The two powerful pokemon met in midair, and Ash and alain watched the fierce spectacle of the two incredibly strong moves striking their opponents directly.

The clash created a massive explosion, which consumed the entire field. Both trainers shot their hands out in front of them, struggling to maintain their footing through the huge winds, as debris scraped past them furiously.

Ash felt an indescribable pain coarsing throughout his body. His breaths were short and sharp, and he felt winded.

The explosion carried on for moments that felt like hours to each person watching. The crowd and commentator went completely silent as the anticipation stole away their voices. The still air stayed tense even as the smoke finally drifted, revealing Greninja and Charizard still standing.

Suddenly, both pokemon transformed back into their normal forms in unison.

Then Greninja dropped onto his knees. Ash's eyes widened. Had he lost?

Charizard then fell forward, landing face first into the mud. "Charizard!" Alain cried.

Greninja put a flipper against his stomach, and gingerly returned to his feet.

The referee stood there, starstruck. Then he knew it was over.

"Charizard, is unable to battle! Greninja is the victor, which means... Which means the winner of the Lumiose Conference is Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town!"

Ash fell backwards, landing on his behind. He hadn't lost.

The commentator was screeching something about the battle, but he was too stunned to hear. He was victorious. He had finally won a Pokemon League.

It took him a second to snap out of his daze, and then he sprinted over to his exhausted Greninja and pulled him over his shoulder. "Greninja, you... All of you did it..! We've won!"

The full balls on Ash's belt spontaneously opened themselves, and Snorlax, Swellow, Goodra and Charizard appeared from the blue light. They beamed at Ash, and smothered him and Pikachu in a huge group hug, though to the spectators it looked more like a dogpile. The seven of them sat, holding each other tightly and laughing with each other.

Alain sombrely walked up to Ash. He stuck out a hand. "Congratulations Ash! That Greninja's power is something else, especially to have beaten Mega Evolution."

Ash laughed. "Thanks, Alain! You're Charizard is powerful too! It's been a long time since Charizard lost a battle." He turned his dragon, injured but still laughing with the other 5 of Ash's pokemon. "Though, I'm surprised you haven't set me on fire like you always do." He said curiously to his fire type.

Charizard stuck his tongue out at his trainer and promptly showered him in a burly Flamethrower. "Pweh!" Ash spat. Then he laughed again. "Shouldn't have jinxed it!"

Alain chuckled quietly. "Thanks for the battle, Ash. It's been a long time since I've had so much fun."

"Ash."

Ash got up and turned to his left. Diantha was holding a trophy in front of her. "Diantha!" He exclaimed.

She smiled. "The battles you've fought in the Kalos League have been a wonderful display of the bond you've formed throughout your journeys with your pokemon. Congratulations on your win." She handed over the trophy. She also tossed sitrus berries to all of Ash's pokemon, who happily devoured them without a second thought.

Ash beamed as he took the trophy. It shone a beautiful gold, and had a pokeball on a pedestal carved into it. "Thank you so much, Diantha."

"And now, I think an there's a reporter here that wants a word with you." she leaned over to Ash. "Don't underestimate her; Her name's Malva, and she's also part of the Elite Four." Diantha whispered in his ear.

Ash's eyes widened as she left, and this aforementioned Elite Four member walked over to him, as did her shady-looking film crew.

"Hello, Ash! Lovely to see you again!" she said. "So how do you feel about winning the pokemon league, especially after a journey as long as yours has been?"

Ash grinned. "I guess I'm just happy we finally did it. All the pokemon I befriended, the friends I've made along my journey... If it weren't for thise experiences, I sure as heck wouldn't be here today, thats for certain." He paused for a minute. "There's also one of my friends, who always manages to motivate me, whenever I'm feeling unsure of myself, really just giving me emotional support. So, thanks to her as well for just being around me." Ash muttered quietly.

Malva nodded, waiting to hear more. When she didn't receive an answer, she continued. "So anyway, as you may know, once you've beaten a Pokemon League, you are given permission to challenge the Champions League! Do you think you'll do it?" She grinned slyly, knowing full well that no winner in the history of the Kalos League has ever turned the Champions League down.

"Hmm... I might not, actually." Ash stated clearly. The entire crowd gasped in shock, including Trevor, Tierno, Sawyer and Clemont.

"Huh? What's the big deal?" Bonnie questioned.

Tierno was more than happy to explain. "The big deal is that he's just turned down the opportunity to go and fight the elite four and the champion!"

Serena frowned. "That is really unlike him. I wonder why?"

Back on the stadium, Malva beamed. "As I suspected! So Ash will be moving on to the champions... Wait, you what?"

Ash backed away a little, afraid that he's just said something completely wrong. Which, depending on who you asked, he did. "You see, now that I've finally beaten a League, I'm gonna go back home to Kanto, and rechallenge the Indigo League, and this time, I'll win it!" He grinned.

Malva glared at him, but sighed, not really able to argue. "Oh well, it's a right shame that I- i mean, the Elite Four won't get to battle you anytime soon. Just know that as long as you have that trophy, you can take on the Champions League here at Kalos whenever you want! And so let's wish Ash good luck in Kanto!"

The announcement set off cheers from the audience, and whistling and clapping ensued as well.

Ash smiled ecstatically. "Thank you very much, everyone!"

He and Alain turned to walk next to each other. Ash recalled his five pokemon, all while Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder. "Well, let's go see Serena and the others! She's with your friend Mairin as well!"

Alain looked taken aback. "Mairin's here?!"

Ash grinned. "Yeah! Let's go!"

Suddenly, Ash heard a violent explosion in the distance. "Did you hear that, Alain?"

Apparently, he had too. "Yeah. I wonder what that was..?" Though Alain felt a sense of foreboding linger over him.

Greninja burst out of his pokeball, looking alert. "Greninja, whats the mat-"

Ash was interrupted however, by a huge pillar breaking through the arena. "What's that?!" he shouted.

A sinking feeling rose up in Alain's stomach. What was going on..?

Ash grabbed Alain's wrist. "Come on, Alain! We've gotta find Serena and Mairin!"

Alain nodded, his eyebrows deepening into his frown. "You're right. Let's move!"

* * *

**Man, that was a long chapter, but I enjoyed every minute of writing it! It's gotten quite a bit over 8k words, I believe. I went very tryhard mode on it. Anyway, the first arc of this fanfiction is about to near its end. I hope you stick around for more.**

**Reviews:**

Kinda disappointed w/ Krookodile, nothing good from Unova I guess.

**Heh, sorry. I needed to make Ash lose at least once or twice, so Krookodile just happened to be the unlucky one. I personally have nothing against Unova, it was pretty good, though I couldn't really care much for Iris :P**

**Thanks for reading, see you again!**

**P.S. It's about this time that I've uploaded the first chapter, which gives me 7 extra weeks to polish the fiction off. I reckon I'll be able to. ****Just thought I'd let you all know :)**


	9. Chapter 9: Deadlocked

**Chapter 9: Deadlocked**

* * *

Alain and Ash sprinted past the random beams that shot through the ground. "Hey Alain, is Mairin important to you?"

Alain nodded severely. "Yes. I'd do anything to protect her."

"In that case, I'll help you find her, don't worry about it." Ash stated clearly.

Soon, they had reached the front of the colosseum - to see the city looking destroyed and hideously swamped in black-red vines. To the side, watching over the wreckage, was his friends. "Serena!" Ash yelled.

Serena was with Clemont and Bonnie. They turned around to see Ash with Alain.

"Oh Ash, i'm glad you're okay!" Serena breathed.

Bonnie piped up. Her expression was filled with worry. "Ash, Squishy ran off somewhere!" She gestured to her sachel, which used to house the small green Pokemon along with Dedenne.

"Oh no!" Ash grimaced.

Suddenly, a voice came on through the speakerphone at the Conference building. "Lumiose Civilians, please evacuate the city immediately. There has been major damage to Prism Tower. Avoid this area for your own safety. I repeat, avoid Prism Tower during evacuation."

A few seconds passed, and Bonnie turned quickly to her older brother. "Clemont, Squishy's headed to Prism Tower!"

"You what?!" He gasped. Suddenly, Bonnie ran off. "Bonnie, wait!" He yelled.

Ash turned to Clemont. "You guys go. We'll catch up with you soon."

Ash made to leave, but Serena stopped him. "Wait!" She cried. "Where are you two going?"

Ash furrowed his brow. "I'm gonna help Alain find Mairin. For now, you guys focus on finding Squishy."

"But-"

Ash put a hand on Serena's shoulder, and gave her a soft, reassuring nod. "Don't worry about us. We'll meet you at Prism Tower when we find her, I promise."

Serena nodded back, biting her lip. Ash took off, running behind Alain.

"Ash!" Clemont yelled. "Take this!" He threw him a small, phone-shaped device. "I thought we'd encounter a situation precisely like this one! We'll use this to stay in touch with you! I reckon it has just enough range on it to work within the city, at least."

Ash grinned. "Cheers, Clemont. Take care of yourself, and Serena!"

They split up, and Ash and Alain headed around to the back of the destroyed Colosseum. "Mairin!" they yelled.

Mairin's head appeared over the balcony. "Alain!" She cried. "Ash, too!"

"Mairin, we gotta get to Prism Tower! You gotta-" He was suddenly interrupted by another one of those mysterious vines popping out of the ground. The nearby civilians ran away screaming, and Mairin slowly edged away. "I'll find another way out! Don't worry about me! I'll see you at Prism Tower!" She yelled, and ran.

Alain and Ash nodded, but now they were surrounded by the vines. "Charizard, use Dragon Claw!" He shouted, throwing his partner's Pokeball. The massive dragon appeared and swiped at the vine, demolishing it. However, it was quickly replaced by another, and then another.

Ash threw a Pokeball. "Greninja, Cut!"

Greninja materialised, and threw a blade at the vines, which cut them down, but the growth seemed relentless. The two Pokemon kept attacking the vines, when suddenly a blast knocked them backwards.

"What?!" Ash yelled.

A girl with short purple hair wearing an orange jumpsuit stood on the rubble, standing next to a Drapion. "Alright, are you finally ready to listen?"

Ash recognised her immediately. "Wait a sec, you're that Team Flare woman that was hunting down Squishy!" He snarled.

"Well remembered!" She chuckled. "But that's in the past now. Today, it looks like you're the one I'm after."

Ash's eyes narrowed. "Me?! What do you want with me?!"

Alain looked just as shocked. "Y-y-you what?" He stuttered. "What do you... What do you mean?!"

Ash turned to his friend with an open mouth. "Alain? Do you know her?"

The woman almost cackled. "Know me? Why, Alain is my colleague!"

Ash gasped. "You're her colleague? Alain, you're working with team Flare?"

Alain didn't meet Ash's eye, nor did he say a word, but his teeth and fists were clenched tightly.

The purple woman jumped down, now face to face with Ash and Alain. "Anyway, we've no time for this. Lysandre wants to see you now Ash, and if you're not gonna come quietly it'll have to be through force!"

Ash had stopped listening to her. He turned to his rival, whose face was contorted. "Alain, you aren't seriously gonna listen to this! Cmon, we've gotta get to Prism Tower!" He grabbed Alains wrist, but the boy pulled away. Ash stared in confusion. "What is the matter with you?!"

Team Flare grunts surrounded Ash. He now had nowhere left to run. He stared at Alain once more but this time, doubt was forming in his eyes. "Answer me, Alain! What is going on here?! Are you or are you not with Team Flare?!" he demanded.

"Enough of this!" The woman said. "Drapion, use Confuse Ray!"

Ash was surrounded by balls of light, but he made no effort to escape. The light went into his eyes and his body, as well as Pikachu.

He fell to the ground, dazed more than he was hurt. Even as his consciousness faded, he turned his closing eyes to see the boy he used to trust. "What's going on, Alain?" He muttered, before fainting.

Pikachu was also quickly losing his strength. It wobbled to its trainers side, and tried to wake Ash up, to no avail. Pikachu cried out, trying to resist the confusion, but it had already set in and he collapsed.

Alain turned away from them, fear apparent in his eyes. "Well, Alain? Are you coming, or will we have to force you too?" The woman mocked.

Alain stayed silent, but followed them into their aircraft while staring at his own balled fists.

* * *

Serena, Clemont and Bonnie ran towards Lumiose Tower, but a broadcast on an outdoor screen made them stop dead.

Lysandre was talking on the screen. His face bore no expression, but could easily be full of hatred. "People of Kalos." He stated simply. "What you all beae witness to now, is nothing less than the recreation of the entire world. The Order Pokemon, Zygarde, is angry that humans created a world where its inhabitants could not share resources between them. And so, it has chosen to destroy it. And in this new world, only a select few, the chosen ones will be allowed to live in this world."

Serena gritted her teeth. "New world? That's not gonna happen!"

Huge vines sprouted out next to the trio. "Go, Braixen!" Serena shouted.

"You too, Luxray!" Clemont shouted.

The two pokemon worked together to destroy the vines, but another emerged behind them. They gasped, and stepped backwards. Then an explosion knocked the offending vine down, and two bodies stepped out from behind the rubble.

"Clembot, Heliolisk!" Clemont exclaimed, when he saw their saviours. "Thanks a lot!"

"When my master is in a jam, i am always on hand to help!" Clembot declared. While his voice was robotic and mechanical, they could hear the emotion and empathy fully. In some ways, it could be considered human.

The four of them together took off towards Prism Tower, but when they got there, the destruction was a grim spectacle.

"This is horrible..." Clemont muttered, disgusted.

Vines covered and coiled around his gym, leaving disproportionate holes and botches in the ground and on the walls. the glass was smashed and the sky above it a crimson red.

"We have to get inside!" Bonnie cried. "Squishy needs our help!"

Serena nodded, and took a step forward, when a Dark Pulse stopped her from doing so. "What?!"

Two Team Flare members, probably higher class judging by their... Unique hairstyles, stepped between the four of them and Prism Tower. One of them scoffed at them. "You kids have no right to be here. Now scram!"

That statement set Clemont off. "No! This is my gym and I have every right to be here!"

The green haired Flare groaned. "Whatever."

The other looked at her colleague disdainfully. "Let's not get distracted, remember? Druddigon, use Dark Pulse!"

The Flare's Druddigon lunged forward and spewed out a purple beam at the four. However, the beam was hit and destroyed by another, coming in from the side.

Serena, Clemont, Bonnie and Clembot turned around. "Mairin! Professor Sycamore!" Serena exclaimed.

"Garchomp, too!" Bonnie smiled at the large dragon type.

"Glad I made it in time!" Sycamore gasped, quite out of breath.

* * *

Ash opened his eyes, and groaned. His head felt fuzzy, as if he was floating.

He glanced around. "Wh-what... My arms..! I'm trapped!"

He grunted, trying to wrench himself free of the odd restraints he found himself locked in. He looked down. "Greninja!" He shouted. His frog pokemon seemed to be in the same situation as him, but unconscious.

"Pikapikachu..!"

Ash turned his head, and saw Pikachu, and the rest of his pokemon. All seven of them were trapped.

"Hello Ash." A deep voice said.

Ash turned to face the source of the voice. "Lysandre!" He growled angrily. And then, to the person next to him. "Alain! So you are working with them!"

He couldn't see clearly, but Alain's eyes were wide with fear. Lysandre continued calmly. "Forgive me for being so rough, but I had to make sure you don't interfere."

Ash narrowed his eyes, about to retort, however, his attention was quickly raised to a pokemon watching over Lumiose City's destruction. A pokemon, burning red. "It's Zygarde!" Ash gasped. He faced Alain with contempt. "Tell me what's going on!"

Alain looked away, and gritted his teeth.

Lysandre sighed, and started speaking again. "You see Ash, I'm planning on making you one of the chosen ones."

Again, Ash went to say something, but he stopped. A green light had emerged on the horizon, and it was centralising from all across the place. The place where all the green lights met - started to form into another Zygarde.

The newly formed green Zygarde faced off against the red, and suddenly, the two started attacking.

"What you are witnessing is the rage of Zygarde." Lysandre snarled. "Soon, Z1 too will recognise what humans have done to the earth, and seek to destroy it too."

"No!" Ash yelled. "There's no way Squishy would fall for that!"

Alain looked at Lysandre with an open mouth and fearful expression.

Meanwhile, the two half complete Zygarde forms continued brawling. Ash grimaced and watched, thunderstruck.

* * *

Mairin ran up to Serena. "Serena, did you see Alain or Ash? They were headed for Prism Tower!"

Serena shook her head. "No, not yet."

Mairin withdrew into herself. "If something bad's happened..."

Serena lay a hand on her shoulder. "Mairin, there's no need to worry. Alain and Ash'll be fine! They can take care of themselves!"

Mairin started to tear up, making Serena look at her with concern. "I-I'm also worried about Chespie!"

Serena gasped. That's right - Mairin's Chespin was being treated at Lysandre Labs, but if Lysandre was the mastermind behind all of this...

She stood up straight. "Clemont! I'm taking Mairin to Lysandre Labs! Is that all right with you?!"

Clemont nodded, having overheard and reaching the same conclusion. "Of course! Don't worry about us, we'll take care of these Team Flare people!"

Serena felt her receiver - it was still in her pocket. She silently sighed in relief. "Alright! Let's go!"

Professor Sycamore turned to Serena. "I'll come too! We can take my car - it's near the- woah!"

He quickly jumped back to avoid a Dark Pulse. The orange haired woman sneered. "You're not getting away! Liepard, Shadow Claw!"

Her Liepard snarled, and jumped up, ready to attack. Suddenly, a Mud Shot hit the cat sending it sprawling into the dirt. Clemont stepped forward. "If you wanted to battle, you've got it!"

"Thanks Clemont!" Serena exclaimed, and darted off with Mairin and Sycamore following.

Clemont nodded, and turned to the attackers. "May I remind you that I'm the leader of the Lumiose Gym! You don't stand a chance!" He grinned, causing the two women to glower.

* * *

"Alain." Lysandre stated casually. "All of this you're seeing here... This is the work of Zygarde. And we could only convince Zygarde using that precious power you gave us." Alain looked at him, eyes wide and with his hands shaking. He tried to speak, but his voice failed him. Even Ash looked shocked. "This mega evolution energy that you've kept for us... We can now use it to end all the imperfection in this world." Lysander almost spat his words out. His voice was filled with malice.

Alain turned to face the City. He stared out at all the red vines creeping across the land, destroying buildings. He stared out at the fleeing citizens, and the chaos.

"How do you like it? After all, this is the first step towards world peace." Lysandre cackled evilly.

Alain sucked air through his gritted teeth. Soon, he dropped onto his knees. "No!" He screamed. "All those battles I fought... _I did them for this?!_"

Ash stared at the despairing boy. "Mairin, Chespin, forgive me..." Alain struggled. He punched the ground in rage and hate.

That was when Ash realised why Alain was so conflicted, back when he was captured. He watched Alain with pathos.

Lysandre almost cackled. "All to save the precious Chespin. Truly noble. This is why you, too, shall be a chosen one, Alain." He turned around, and faced a furious Ash. "Speaking of which... Ash. Your bond phenomenon with Greninja will help me too, in bringing order to the new world."

Ash gasped. Two drones flew from behind the Flare's leader, and over to him. He tossed and turned, trying to escape, but suddenly the drones fired a red ray on him and Greninja.

"Gah!" he choked, attempting to resist the light. But it felt so warm, as if it tried to say 'go_ to sleep, Ash. it'll all be better tomorrow._'

Ash found his eyes drooping shut. His breathing slowed, and became more calm.

Ash thought he could hear Alain. "Lysandre, stop!" he pleaded.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried out.

Ash's ears became filled with Pikachu's voice calling out to him. He couldn't give up... Not just yet. Think of all the work he had put in to see his dreams come to. Think of what Serena would do.

He snapped back to his senses, and looked to his captured pokemon. "Pikachu, Charizard, Snorlax, Swellow, Goodra, Greninja... I'm not out just yet! They aren't controlling us!" He yelled. Alain stared in awe.

Lysandre glared at Ash, intensity clear now in his voice. "Ash, you could be the people's guide in this new world! Imagine, a truly peaceful world..!"

Ash shook his head furiously. "I'll never be a part of your new world! We're protecting this one, our world, with all we have! Come on, Greninja!"

Greninja grunted in affirmation, and the two of them sensed each other, beginning to bond with each other. Greninja became enveloped in a huge torrent of water, smashing the chains around himself. In one swift motion, he smashed the restraints on Ash and the other 5 of his pokemon.

"Now battle me, Lysandre!" Ash screamed as he jumped to the floor. "So I can show you just how little you know about this world!"

Alain stepped over to the now-freed Ash. "Ash... Please, forgive me. I'm sorry for everything i've caused, and i'm going to help you take down Team Flare, if you'd let me."

Ash nodded, his eyebrows sunk and eyes fixed on Lysandre. "Don't worry, Alain. Let's just focus on stopping this, once and for all."

Lysandre took a step back. His face twisted, into an ugly, malicious frown. "If this is the way you want it Ash, Alain, then you have no place in my world." he spat. He dropped two pokeballs in front of him. "Come out, Pyroar, Gyarados."

The two pokemon he called, a red Gyarados and a huge orange dog, Pyroar. Ash grimaced, and stood his ground. Alain did the same, throwing his own pokeball. "Go, Charizard!" he shouted, and Charizard emerged from the ball, ready to fight once more.

"This is for world peace!" Lysandre hissed. "Mega evolve!"

He tapped his key stone, and suddenly the stone and his Gyarados became overcame by bright light. Gyarados enlarged severely.

Alain focused. He stuck his arm out in front of himself. "Charizard, respond to my heart, and go beyond evolution! Mega evolve!"

Charizard underwent the same process as Ash had seen, and fought against, in the finals before this crisis broke out, and transformed into a black version of himself, with blue streaks of flame seeping from his jaws.

Lysandre smirked. "Pyroar, Gyarados, use Incinerate!"

Ash was quick to respond. "Pikachu and Goodra, use Thunderbolt and Dragon Pulse!"

The four beams went two on two with each other, exploding where they met and kicking up smoke. Ash nodded at Greninja frantically. "Use Cut!" He thought. Greninja heard this thought, and sliced through the smoke.

"Pyroar, use Hyper Beam!"

"Charizard, Flamethrower!" Ash shouted.

The Hyper Beam stopped Greninja from moving as he made to block it. Charizard soared above them and let out a billowing jet of flame, countering the beam in order to aid Greninja and so causing another explosion. The ground Ash stood on crumbled into rubble, toppling off of Prism Tower onto the horrific vines below.

Alain raised a hand. "Charizard, Dragon Claw!" he shouted.

"Gyarados, use Stone Edge!" boomed Lysandre.

Charizard, who was swooping over for the attack, instead was interrupted by a pillar of stone ramming into him, dealing hefty damage. Alain winced, and Ash raised his head. "Swellow, Snorlax, Quick Attack and Ice Punch!"

The two pokemon charged towards Lysandre, but his two pokemon blocked them off. "Pyroar, Fire Fang!"

Pyroar hit Snorlax hard, sending him reeling backwards and hurt, and Swellow quickly got behind the flaming dog and smashed it on the back at incredible speed, sending him into freefall.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt now!" yelled Ash.

Pikachu aimed a particularly powerful bolt at Pyroar, causing it to take even more damage, and faint before it even hit the ground.

"Agh! Return!" Lysandre hissed, recalling his fire-type. He looked at Ash's team. "Outnumbering me won't do you any good in the end!"

"We'll see!" Ash bellowed. "Now, everyone! Get ready!"

"You too, Charizard!" Alain called out.

All six of Ash's pokemon and Alain's Charizard lined up in front of the two trainers, ready to strike.

"Grr!" Lysandre growled. "You'll never beat me! I will reset this world! Gyarados, Hyper Beam!"

Ash's eyes slammed shut as he began to think intensely. His mind flashed, scenarios drifted through his head. Finally, he focused intensely on Gyarados, who was ready to fire another devastating beam of energy. "Okay Goodra, you first! Use Bide!"

Goodra nodded and leapt forward, glowing a faint red. The Hyper Beam smacked into him hard, inflicting a significant amount of damage. Goodra staggered backwards, and realised he couldn't withstand it. His legs gave way, and Ash recalled him, clenching his teeth. "Greninja, use Water Shuriken and Snorlax, you cover him!"

The two obliged, and as Snorlax went to Goodra to protect him, Greninja ran up and tossed the enlarged shuriken on his back, which struck the mega Gyarados.

"Nrgh, Gyarados, use Dragon Tail, and aim for that Greninja!" Lysandre ordered.

Gyarados did so, jumping into the air, with its tail turning green for the attack.

Ash turned to Alain. "You ready?" He called. Alain nodded.

"Charizard!" They both yelled.

"Use Blast Burn!"

"Use Slash!"

Alain's Charizard fired an intense heatwave through the ground which suddenly burst out of the ground and smothered Gyarados ferociously. After that, Ash's Charizard took to the air, and made a final flight to finish off the Gyarados. He raised its claw up into the air, and roared.

Ash gazed at Charizard, but then concern flew across his face. Charizards claw wasn't sharpening, like it should've.

Charizard bellowed again. All of a sudden, an intense blue flame enveloped the dragon. "Ash, that's Flare Blitz!" Alain gasped.

Ash's eyes were wide with awe. "Charizard, that's amazing! Okay, do it! Flare Blitz!"

Charizard shot forward and smashed into Gyarados, who was knocked back, dragging the huge water snake through the ground. Gyarados couldn't take the damage, and fainted. Lysandre pursed his lips together thoughtfully.

A buzz rung in Ash's pocket. He yanked the receiver out of it and raised it to his ear.

"Ash!" It was Bonnie's voice.

Ash had to commend Clemont. Science was amazing - who could've thought of a portable communications device? "Bonnie, what's the matter?"

"Good news!" She giggled. "Squishy's okay, and we're with Blaziken Mask and mega Blaziken!"

Ash sighed in immense relief. "That's great to hear! Alright, do you know where Serena and Clemont are? I haven't heard from them!"

"Yeah, Serena's went to Lysandre Labs with Mairin and the professor in order to save Chespie." Bonnie explained. Alain's ears pricked up at the mention of Mairin and Chespie, but he said nothing. "Clemont's in Prism Tower, and I bet he's managed to turn off that machine and saved Zygarde!"

"Thanks, Bonnie! I've got something to take care of, so see you in a bit!" Ash grinned. He tucked his receiver away, and faced the leader of Team Flare, who had a hated expression on his face. "Lysandre, it's all over for you!"

However, Lysandre grinned unusually. "All this talk has been fairly amusing, I must say. But I will not be stopped!" He then took a step back.

Then another.

Ash and Alain gasped simutaneously, as Lysandre moved closer to the edge of the tower. Ash and Greninja ran forward. "No!" He yelled. "You aren't getting away, Lysandre! You'll pay for what you've done!"

As Lysandre jumped, Ash grabbed a hold of his orange tie. Lysandre choked, and snarled at Ash, while Greninja used his tongue to hoist Lysandre back up. The two Charizards, Alain's having reverted back to his normal state in order to avoid exhaustion, surrounded the orange-clad man. "Charizard, break his gear off." Alain grimaced.

"You just don't get it, do you? You cannot extinguish my dream to recreate this world. And even though you've gotten back Zygarde, my plan is still in motion!"

Ash's eyes narrowed. "Oh, we'll stop you alright. But the first thing we're doing is taking you with us. Then I'll let Officer Jenny decide what to do with you. Alain, help me out with him."

Alain nodded, and the two of them lead Lysandre down Prism Tower.

* * *

While this was going on, Serena, Mairin and Professor Sycamore rushed towards his laboratory. Out of the blue, three strange looking people blocked their path.

"Why hello there!" The pink-haired woman said. Her voice sounded very familiar. "What're you doing in such a dangerous place?"

"We have to get to Lysandre Labs!" Mairin exclaimed frantically. "I gotta find Chespie!"

The purple-haired man was holding a film camera, and he looked awestruck. "Why, thats simply terrible! Why don't we give you a ride in our newscopter! It is on the way to where we're going, after all!"

"Really?" Sycamore smiled. "That'd be a big help, thanks!"

The six of them got inside of the helicopter, and sat down, the large brown haired man shuffling into the cockpit. He started the helicopter, promptly taking off.

After a few minutes of travelling, the purple haired man almost shrieked in delight. "Look yonder! We've arrived!" Then he frowned. "Huh? There's someone waiting for us!"

Supposedly unbeknownst to him, it was one of Team Flare's elite. "Weavile, Ice Shard!" She commanded.

Weavile jumped up and aimed a flurry of icicles at the helicopter. Inside, the purple-haired pilot yanked the stick back to get his aircraft to dodge. After the intense turbulance, Serena staggered shakily to her feet, and opened the side door, with Braixen stood next to her. "Braixen, Flamethrower!"

Braixen aimed her stick at Weavile, and showed it in a fiery beam, knocking it to the ground, unconscious in a single hit. Mairin stared at her admiringly. "She's amazing!" She thought aloud, making Serena blush slightly.

Back at the lab, the blue haired Flare snarled angrily. She grabbed her pokeball, but a huge blast knocked it straight out of her hand. "What?!" she shouted, infuriated.

A white metagross landed on the ground, and someone jumped off. Mairin gasped as the helicopter landed and she saw who it was. "It's Steven!"

The pink-haired woman was dumbfounded and lovestruck. "Y-y-you mean Steven the champion?" she stammered.

The large man next to her facepalmed. "Cool your jets." he sighed cynically.

A bunch of team Flare grunts backed up the woman standing down the Hoenn champion. "Steven Stone." she stated simply.

Steven grinned. "Huh! Lysandre did fool me, all right! Then again, he got the entire world!"

"Oh please!" The woman rebuked. "That's out of the question! Besides, the smart thing to do would be to side with us." she remarked.

"As if you could beat me!" Steven laughed. The six passengers stumbled out of the helicopter. "Ah, professor! I'm glad I came here before Prism Tower!"

Sycamore nodded. "I'm glad you're here too!" His eyebrows furrowed. "Chespin is inside that lab - and so is the Giant Rock."

The champion nodded. "Alright then. You go on ahead. I'll be done with this lot soon, you just save that Chespin!" he winked. They agreed, and ran off.

They dashed through the dark hallways, until suddenly a Drapion stopped them. It growled, and fired a Mud Shot. Serena and Mairin quickly dodged, leaving the move to smash into the film crew.

"Pweh!" They spat. "Who do you think you are?!" the filming man scolded.

the man with the mic agreed. "Yer glasses are choking yer brain!" he shouted, and suddenly, the three of them threw down their equipment. Serena stared at them suspiciously, to find that they threw their jackets off - to reveal they were Team Rocket!

"Wait, what?!" Serena gasped, confused as to why they were on her side, but the now-revealed James just wagged his finger.

"You just go on ahead now, and save your friend!"

Meowth nodded, and grinned slyly. "Ya know what they say, an enemy of our enemy is a good buddy, and we've got a bone to pick with these orange freaks!"

The so called 'orange freak' woman looked exasperated. "Enough with the yammering, its so annoying!"

Jessie stuck her tongue out, and grabbed a pokeball. "Gorgeist, use Seed Bomb!" she said, throwing it.

Her pumpkin-like partner, Gorgeist, burst out and immediately started firing on the Drapion. Serena nodded a quick appreciative glance to them, before running off in the confusion, with Mairin and Sycamore following closely behind her.

After reaching a series of rooms, Mairin lunged for the furthest one, as she recognised a green glow. When she made it, she beamed hugely. "It's Chespie!" She exclaimed. "Thank goodness you're alright!"

Sycamore went over to her. "That's wonderful! Okay, let's get Chespie back to my lab. Sophie'll know what to do."

Meanwhile, Serena was fending off a bunch more Flare grunts with her pokemon. She winced. "They just keep coming..!"

Sycamore and Mairin returned to her side, and looked at the guards, frowning. "Now how are we gonna get out of here?" He wondered aloud, but he didn't have to for long - Suddenly, the grunts were possessed by a blue light and started floating towards the ceiling!

Steven appeared from behind them with Metagross, who was using Psychic to levitate the grunts out of his way. "Cmon! Follow me!" He said.

They agreed quite happily, and Steven led them to an elevator. Suddenly, a buzz rung out in Serena's pocket. She gulped - she had completely forgotten about those receivers!

"_Hope i didn't miss any calls._" she thought, as she took it out of her pocket. "Hello?"

She heard a sharp breathing on the other end. Suddenly, Clemonts voice came on over the speaker. "I... Clembot's gone..." He whispered.

Serena's eyes widened. "W-what?" She almost yelled, but Clemont had already hung up. Serena bit her lip, and immediately dialed something on the device. "Cmon, answer me..!" She breathed. Mairin, Sycamore and Steven watched her in concern.

Finally, the call went through. "Hello?" Ash said.

Serena breathed in. "Ash, it's me!"

"Serena! Thank goodness you're okay! Where are you now?!"

"I'm in Lysandre Labs, we're with Steven, Mairin and the professor, and we're just about to head back to the city, but what about you and Alain?"

"We got Lysandre, and we've just managed to turn him in to officer Jenny, so... Nearby Prism Tower, i guess."

Serena took a deep breath in. "Ash, I need you to head to the gym. It's Clemont!"

Ash gasped, but held it in. "You got it. I'm on my way, and we'll meet up again soon!"

He hung up, and Serena held her receiver tightly to her chest before putting it away. "Ash, come through for me, please..." She prayed.

Strangely, the elevator Steven took went downwards. When it opened, they weren't at the exit, but instead, face to face with a huge, glowing rock. "Uh, what are we doing here?"

Steven frowned, and went over to the computer the rock was perched on. "Before we leave, I need to find out what kind of research was being conducted here. He focused intensely, until a picture of Chespie flashed up on screen. Mairin's eyes widened - as did Steven's and Sycamore's.

"That's it!" Steven exclaimed. Then his eyes narrowed intensely. "Hold up, what's going on?!"

The computer had started glowing red beneath his fingers. Mairin cried out. "Ah! Chespie!"

They turned to her - Chespie, in her arms, was also a glowing red colour. Then, the comatose pokemon started to float - right out of Mairin's arms!

"No, Chespie!" she cried again, but suddenly, her Chespin vanished into the rock. She rushed towards it, but Sycamore grabbed her shoulders.

"Mairin, wait! It's dangerous! We have to get out of here!" He shouted, as the rock began to build spikes around itself. Serena and Steven ran off, and Sycamore had to pull Mairin along, who was frozen in place out of fright and indignation.

* * *

Ash and Alain ran inside the first floor of the tower, to see the place in ruins. Clemont was hunched over, with Chespin, Luxray and Bunnelby watching him dejectedly. Then Ash saw it.

Clembot, lying in tatters, on the floor. "Oh no..." Ash muttered. "Clemont... What, what happened?"

Clemont didn't look up. "Clembot did it all." He whispered simply.

Ash looked frozen. "C-can Clembot be fixed?" He questioned, almost pleading for Clemonts sake.

"I'll do my best..." Clemont mumbled, his voice breaking. "But for now... I've gotta do something to help-"

Ash shook his head. "No." Clemont looked up, confused. "Don't push yourself." Ash told him firmly. Then, his pocket started to buzz.

Ash pulled out the receiver, and put it to his ear. "What's up?" He asked.

"Ash, it's an emergency! There was a huge rock at Lysandre Labs, and now its kinda absorbed Chespie!" Serena shouted.

Alain was thunderstruck. "What? Absorbed Chespie?!"

Ash heard professor Sycamore say something. "Ash, meet us here as soon as you can! And bring Blaziken Mask!" he said, and Serena hung up.

Ash looked over at his friend as he tucked away the receiver. "Clemont-"

"Don't worry Ash." Clemont said. "I'm all right. Let's just finish what we've started."

Ash nodded, and the three of them, with their pokemon, ran out of the tower, and headed for Serena and Mairin.

* * *

Quickly, they reached Blaziken Mask, who was with Bonnie, and they left to go into an aircraft towards the rock.

"So Ash." Sycamore continued when they had reconnected. "That rock is actually a huge mass of energy, closely resembling Zygarde itself."

Ash watched the camera feed Steven was sending them. "Got it. But what does Chespie have to do with it?"

Steven picked up. "Well, it looks like some sort of accident, or perhaps Lysandre planned for it, but Chespie's absorbed some of Zygarde's energy, and, well, now the rock has taken that energy, and Chespie with it." Steven paused, while he worked out where the rock was heading to. "Which means it's looking for the next source of that energy, which is..." A holo-map pointed from the rocks direction, mapping out its trajectory. It landed, directly on the Sundial in Anistar City.

"It's headed for Anistar!" he yelled. "That sundial is an incredibly huge source of mega evolution energy! if it comes into contact with it..." He displayed a clip of what would occur. In it, the red light that Ash saw from Lysandres machines, the ones that destroyed Lumiose, spread across the entire pokemon world.

Alain punched the aircraft wall. "Lysandre's dream of recreating the world then, will actually happen!"

Ash screwed his face. "But we're not letting that happen! We'll stop this rock... We have to!"

A smile crept along Serena's face. "Alright Ash, we're with you!"

Ash grinned. The two Zygarde cells, Squishy, and the supposed 'Z2' watched him intently. "I think i understand what you mean now." Z2 told Squishy telepathically.

On the other ship, Steven slapped a button, causing the aircraft side-doors to creak open. "Metagross, come out!"

"You too, Garchomp!" shouted the professor.

The two pokemon emerged from their pokeballs, and readied by the doors. Sycamore and Steven each tapped their key stones. "Mega evolve!" They yelled simutaneously, and their pokemon spontaneously transformed into their mega states.

Serena stepped up with them. "We'll help too! Let's do this, Braixen!"

Braixen nodded calmly, and leapt out of the plane onto Metagross's head. They, along with Garchomp, soared toward the rock.

"Flash Cannon!" Steven yelled.

"Dragon Pulse!" Sycamore yelled.

"Flamethrower!" Serena yelled.

The three pokemon unleashed their torrents onto the rock, but a series of vines blocked and bore the incoming moves, leaving the rock completely unscathed.

"Again!" All three of them yelled. Garchomp did so, firing another purple jet of flame onto the vine, immobilising it. Braixen and Metagross swerved, and fired their moves, the vines again taking them. Suddenly, another set of vines swarmed behind them.

Serena gasped. "Oh no!"

Suddenly, a yellow bolt struck the vine and destroyed it. "Pika!" Pikachu yelled, riding on Charizard's back. Braixen beamed gleefully, and jumped off to meet her electric friend.

"Charizard!" Mairin cried. "And Pikachu!" She turned to Serena, and the two of them beamed in delight.

Ash and Alain were in the next aircraft behind them. "Okay Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

"And Charizard, you use Flamethrower!"

The two pokemon obliged, and flew over to Garchomp, effectively taking out the vine that bound the dragon-type. Garchomp thanked them quickly before jumping again, preparing to attack.

Ash stood next to Ash-Greninja in the aircraft. Greninja stared at the rock, and visualised the location of Chespie within the red, crystalline mass. Ash's eyes widened, and then he looked at Greninja. "Yeah, i see it too. Which gives me an idea." He grinned at his friend. "You up to it?"

Greninja grunted, affirmative. "Alright then! Pikachu, make sure you have Greninja's back!"

"Charizard, you too!" Alain called out. Charizard and Pikachu flew over. They were quickly backed by Garchomp, and Metagross with Braixen on his head.

Greninja focused as he leapt down. He waited until the right moment...

Ash raised a hand. "Now! Water Shuriken!"

Greninja quickly raised his head and threw the move right off his back, which tore through the air and smashed dead onto the crystal on the rock.

"Chespie's down under that Shuriken!" Ash yelled. "Everyone aim for that crystal!"

They all nodded, ready.

Charizard and Pikachu flew over, but couldn't get close - the vines swept them back. The same experience happened for Garchomp, then Metagross and Braixen.

Steven gritted his teeth. "It just won't let up!"

One by one, the vines swarmed around the pokemon, eventually grabbing them all. "No!" Ash shouted.

All of a sudden, the rock was hit by an uncanny jet of light, disintegrating all of the devastating vines. The dust cleared, revealing seven people, lined up in front of the rock.

Clemont gasped, amazed. "It's the Kalos gym leaders!" He declared. "And Diantha, the champion!"

Down below, Diantha grimaced. "That didn't even slow it down... Let's retreat for now, and come up with something else."

The two aircrafts met up with them, as did the pokemon, and they stood together on a cliff overlooking the rampaging giant rock. Sycamore explained the situation to them, and Steven and Diantha began to converse with each other about what to do.

Korrina went over to Ash. "Long time no see!" she grinned. "So there's the famous Ash-Greninja!"

"That's right!" Ash replied, grinning. "According to Clemont, Greninja synchronises with me to get it!"

Korrina beamed. "Pretty cool!" Then she skated away from them. "So the plan is, me and the other gym leaders, including Clemont, are gonna back you and Alain up while you head into the rock. So just focusing on getting up there, don't worry about those annoying vines!"

"Thanks a lot, Korrina!" Ash nodded.

Alain agreed. "That'll be a huge help, thank you very much."

Korrina smiled once more before turning around and meeting up with the others.

"Serena." Clemont said, making her and Ash turn around to face him. "Do you think you can stay here and protect Bonnie and Mairin?"

Serena frowned, but nodded. "You can count on me."

* * *

The group lined up before the rock. "Are you ready? Aim for that Water Shuriken!" Diantha told them, and they began to run, all of the gym leaders behind Alain and Ash, with Blaziken Mask, Malva and professor Sycamore at the back.

The rock made a loud, crunching noise, and a mass of vines swept in front of them. "Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Ash yelled.

Pikachu jumped into action. "Chu, pika!" He yelled, using his tail to tear through the first leg of vines. Ash and Alain made it to the rock, and started to run on them, as more vines furiously tried to swipe the two trainers off.

Valerie and Olympia was already waiting for them. Valerie's Spritzee fired a Moonblast, which cleared a path for the boys. However, Spritzee was knocked into Valerie, sending the two flying into a vines clutches. Ash's eyes widened. "Valerie!" He called out.

"I'll handle this!" Olympia told him. "Just get to that Chespin!"

Ash turned back, and ran with Alain.

* * *

Serena watched the spectacle with immense worry for Ash. Soon, she couldn't take anymore. "Argh!" She seethed. "I have to do something..!"

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Bonnie smiling at her. "Don't worry about a thing! I can take care of myself, easy!" She explained. Serena smiled, at ease.

"Thanks so much, Bonnie." Serena smiled. She tossed a pokeball into the air, and Sylveon emerged from it. "Hey Sylveon. I need you to promise me you'll protect Mairin and Bonnie, okay?" She muttered to her friend.

Sylveon gazed at her trainer, concerned. "Sylvy?"

"Don't worry. I just need you to do what we did in our finals performace - launch me up there with Fairy Wind!"

Sylveon nodded, and prepared to unleash her most powerful Fairy Wind, and then, she launched it. Serena subconsciously grabbed her hat in fear of it falling off, and was sent flying onto the rock, well ahead of where Ash was. She gripped an immobile vine tightly, and stumbled onto her feet. She saw Ash running below her, and so she grabbed another pokeball.

"Popstar, come on out!" She shouted, and another pokeball burst open, and her Pikachu, wearing a glamorous pink dress, stood firmly next to her. Serena held out her pokedex. "Alright Popstar, the situation is really desperate, and so we gotta power through it!" She checked the dex. "Okay, what moves..? So you know Discharge, Volt Tackle, Iron Tail and Helping Hand! Alright, that's really good!" Popstar blushed. "This'll be some good experience using your moves, i bet!" Serena added, and the two of them set out to run along the vines.

She saw Clemont, being helped along on Luxray's back. Clemont's eyes widened when he saw her. "Serena! I thought-"

Serena pointed. "I've left Sylveon with them, they'll be safe, I'm sure of it!"

Clemont nodded, and hopped off of Luxray. "Alright, I trust you. So basically, we're gonna protect Ash from the vines when he and Alain make the final push." he explained. Serena nodded intently. "For now, we'll have to stay here and wait for them. Just keep those vines off of yourself, i'll do the same for myself."

* * *

Ash and Alain darted up the vines that Ramos had tied together with Gogoat's Grass Knot. They reached another plethora, which was burnt through by Vivillon. "Thanks a bunch!" Ash yelled to Viola - however, Vivillon was hit by the vine and dropped her. Grant, the Cyllage leader, leapt off the rock to catch her as they were both grabbed by vines. "Don't turn around, we'll be fine!" Grant yelled to Ash, who agreed furiously and continued to run.

"Abomasnow, Ice Shard!" Wulfric boomed. Abomasnow sliced the vines with a hail of ice, before the two of them were thrown down the rock. Ash silently thanked them, and ran.

Ash and Alain reached the top of the vines, and they both stared in awe. "There it is!" Alain gasped, out of breath. Ash didn't hear - he had spotted Serena and Clemont on the other end. "Serena!" he yelled.

"Don't worry, we've got you covered!" she responded, as Popstar batted away a vine with her Iron Tail.

Malva, Steven, Diantha and Blaziken Mask were already well up ahead, clearing a path for the boys. Ash and Alain ran on after them, as Malva and Sycamore were flung into a group of vines, captured.

"Just go!" Malva ordered.

Alain frowned. "We won't let you down!" he called back after her.

Alain and Ash, with Pikachu, Greninja and Charizard by their side, were so close to the crystal now. Just a little more, and they could save Chespie.

Clemont and Serena leapt into the mix. "Bunnelby, Mud Shot! Luxray, Swift and Chespin, Pin Missile!" Clemont shouted, and his pokemon responded by tearing through the brown-red vines with their respective attacks.

Serena ran alongside Ash. "Okay Popstar, let's do this! Use Volt Tackle!"

Ash nodded to Pikachu. "Back her up, buddy! Quick Attack, let's go!"

The two Pikachus nodded, and charged one by one into the vines, sending them reeling back. Serena ducked away from the vines and caught Popstar. "Now use Iron Tail!"

"You too, Pikachu!"

Next, they took to the sky and slammed their tails onto the vines, dicing them so that Ash, Alain, Greninja and Charizard could reach the crystal. "Greninja, Water Shuriken!" Ash yelled

Greninja pulled another massive shuriken off his back and sent it hurtling towards the last set of vines blocking them from their goal.

Alain raised a fist into the air, and Charizard dove forward to the crystal. "Charizard! Use Thunder Punch!" yelled Alain.

Charizard drew its fist back, and it became overcame by electricity. It drove a punch into the crystal, shattering it into tiny fragments.

Alain grinned. "We did it! There's Chespie!" He announced, pointing at the inside of the rock.

Serena was behind them, watching the scene. "You did it!" She cried, but then, she was interrupted by a shriek.

She, Ash and Alain turned around. Popstar had taken a blow from a vine, and lost her footing. She slipped - right off the Giant Rock.

Serena's mouth opened in horror.

Suddenly, without thinking, she ran after the falling Pikachu, and jumped.

Serena dropped down, falling with Popstar. She grabbed the little electric-type, and tossed her back up the rocks as she herself fell.

"SERENA!" Ash screamed.

His eyes bulged with terror.

He went over to the edge, and bent over, to see a scene that would haunt his eyes and permeate his brain forever.

To his mind it was slow motion. Serena's eyes were wide as she gravity did it's part, ruthlessly hurtling her hard onto the ground. And she fell, what must've been several storeys.,

Ash's voice broke in the purest of fear. "NO!"

Ash made a U turn. "Greninja, Pikachu, stay and help Alain!" He bellowed, and started to slide back down the rock. Panic overwhelmed his mind as he skidded, and when he reached the bottom, he sprinted straight to Serena, who lay crumpled on the floor, unconscious. He reached her side, and lay over her. "Serena, please, please be okay..!" He begged. He leaned closer to her, to see her chest still rising and falling, though it was horrifically slow.

He heard the rock lurch to a halt. Alain had saved Chespie, and the crisis was finally over. But instead of relief, there was a rigid sensation surging through his bones. Fear welled up inside him.

He put one of his hands under her back, and the other under her legs, and he picked her up carefully yet shakily. "Cmon Serena, you'll be okay, I promise!" He murmured to her, and he began to run with her in his arms, from where they stood, all the way to the nearest city - Anistar City.

Ash felt his heart about to beat out of his chest. He pushed through the pain, and carried on running, as fast as he could. Serena's leg and arm that she had landed on dangled horribly out of his arms. Ash kept on pushing, the adrenaline rushing throughout him enough to weaken any pain he once felt. All throughout, he kept muttering to Serena. "Just hang in there a little longer, Serena... Everything will be okay." That last part he said to himself. And finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of running, Ash finally made it to the outskirts of Anistar City. There, waiting for him, were four people. Sawyer, Tierno, Shauna and Trevor.

They ran over to him. "Ash! What's happen-" Tierno started, but then he gasped in shock.

Shauna darted over to him. "Oh my gosh, Serena!" She cried. It was no wonder. Serena was cut up and bleeding over Ash's clothes, not to mention a mangled leg showing clearly.

Ash couldn't speak, as he was regaining his breath. Sawyer stepped over to him. "Ash, follow me! I know a hospital nearby!"

Ash nodded silently, and he and Sawyer ran, with Ash's last ounces of strength, to wherever Sawyer was leading him. They reached the hospital, and Ash stumbled inside.

A nurse greeted them, but Ash was frantic. "Please, help her!" He pleaded. The nurse complied, calling another to grab a stretcher. They took Serena off his hands and wheeled her into the emergency room. Then, Ash's knees buckled, and he blacked out. The last thing he heard was Sawyer calling out to him, and footsteps.

* * *

**Cliffhanger! And now, this fiction can finally part ways from the actual pokemon seasons, and I can proceed with what I've wanted to do. It's been a slow ride, but hopefully you all have stuck with this story so far.**

**Thanks for reading, and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10: Actions words

**Chapter 10: Actions speak louder than words**

* * *

"Sir?" called the nurse. Her face was dripping with sweat, and she chewed her lip nervously.

Ash looked up at her. "Y-yeah?" he replied, his voice scarcely above a whisper.

"Your friend... She's, well, her injuries are very severe. It's gonna take a long time for her to make a recovery, and I'm... I'm not sure if she's going to ever return to full health again." she explained.

Ash's body turned rigid when he heard those words. His mouth went dry and his stomach felt like it was made of lead. "It can't be..." he muttered. "But there's still a chance...?" he begged.

The nurse nodded. "Of course there's a chance! We'll do everything we can to help her!" And with that, she turned back and walked towards the ER, where Serena was.

"Wait!" he shouted. "Please, please may I see her?"

The nurse looked into his eyes. They were pleading, eyes filled with genuine fear. "Yes... Yes you may. Go on."

Ash thanked her profusely, and turned away, towards the ER doors in the hospital.

He walked in silence and with balled fists jammed in his pockets, frightened emotions plaguing his mind. Then suddenly, he remembered something. Something that happened not even a month ago.

* * *

Serena's eyes opened slightly, and tears rolled out of them. "A-A-Ash... I just had a-a-a nightmare..." she gasped.

Ash put his hands on her shoulders. "Its okay, it's okay, I'm here. Deep breaths, okay?" He told her gently. She obliged, breathing in and out, slowly, her breaths unstable.

"It was about you..." She whispered when she had got her breath back.

Ash's brow furrowed. "Me? What do you mean?"

She dried her eyes with her pyjama sleeve. "I dreamt about when I saw you on TV when you were on Lumiose Tower, except Blaziken Mask never appeared in my dream. You... You..." Her eyes lost focus as they began to well up again.

Ash put his arm around her. "Listen, that's all in the past now... All that's left to think about now is the present, and the future. So don't give your nightmare a second thought, you got it?" He explained. Serena nodded slowly, Ash's soothing voice calming her down.

* * *

He thought back to what Serena said, and he was struck by a revelation. "_I think I understand now..._" he thought firmly. "_I understand now how you've been feeling all along._"

His mind cleared slightly, but he saw the room the nurse had told him that his friend was in, and he laid a hand on the handle, almost too scared to push and see the aftermath. But he swallowed his fear for now, and creaked open the door.

"Serena!" he gasped when he saw her.

She had a brace on her neck, and was attached to a machine and several wires. It was too cruel a fate... Ash took a seat beside her.

Moments later, Ash saw her eyes flicker open. "A-ash?" she croaked, her eyes distant. "You came for me..."

Ash's eyes unfocused. "Serena, please don't push yourself... Don't worry, I won't leave your side until you get better, I promise. I'll never leave you like this." he whispered.

Serena smiled, and her eyes slowly closed once again. Her breathing became softer and less ragged.

Ash clasped her free hand tightly. "Serena, you've been so brave... Just don't give up, please..."

Ash gazed at the girl. "When I first met you in camp, I told you to never give up, right? And throughout our entire journey together, you took that message to heart." he told her gently. "You worked so hard, and now you're the Kalos Queen! So please..." a tear rolled down his face, followed by another. His fists clenched in his lap, as he cried onto his whitened knuckles. "Not until it's over... You're such an amazing person, Serena..."

Serena didnt respond. Unconscious, most likely. Ash never moved from his spot. He just waited.

And waited.

Several hours past, and Ash even passed out from the exhaustion.

He woke up abruptly when he heard a sound nearby. He slowly turned his head. Nobody there. His eyes darted towards the hospital bed. Serena was still safe, thank Arceus.

The noise Ash heard was Alain, who had just entered the hospital. After talking with the nurse for a minute, he went over to Ash.

Ash saw the door open, and his friend appear from behind it. "Hey Alain." he whispered.

"Ash..." Murmured Alain softly. He had only just taken in Serena's position.

"She'll be okay." Ash smiled, though his voice was strained. "She's... I believe in her. I'll have faith in her til the end."

Alain glanced back at his friend sadly. "Do you want to have a battle?" He asked, hoping to cheer his distraught friend.

Ash shook his head. "Sorry Alain. I promised Serena I'd never leave her alone like this."

Alain stayed quiet. Ash never turned down a battle offer. Finally, he said, "Ash, yesterday you asked me how much Mairin means to me. I told you that I would do anything to protect her."

Ash nodded so Alain continued. "I can see just how much Serena means to you, Ash."

Ash turned away. Tears streamed down his face. "I-i-i wish that it was me instead of her."

"Ash, don't say anything like that..." Alain protested.

Ash shook his head. "Serena's the best person that's ever come into my life. I've always travelled with people I could get along with, people with good morals, good personality, but Serena had always been so kind, gentle, mature, even when I get into trouble or do something reckless, she looks out for me..." Ash's sobbed; his voice was in the verge of breaking. "And she's told me that I was her biggest role model. But when she snapped me out of my mindset, I realised that now she should be mine. She's such an amazing person, and I could owe her my life."

Alain stared at the floor complacently.

Ash wiped his face with his sleeve. "If I only could tell her how much she's impacted my life, just how happy I feel when I'm with her..."

Alain smiled softly. "It sounds like love, don't you think?"

Ash drew back. "W-what? I... I love Serena?" He whispered. He stared at his hands, and then at her.

He had never really thought about it before, but now that he had, things started to form in his head. His feelings, his emotions, they all began to make more sense to him.

Love was something Ash could never understand. He couldn't care less for those romantic TV shows where it was focused on a couple's relationship. But now, he thought about it. He understood everything.

What was strange to him now was that it didn't come across as a huge revelation. Perhaps he had known all along, but he was just too dense to have told himself his feelings towards her.

He gazed at Serena. Despite the tube in her nose, she still looked beautiful as she did when she was in a showcase, or walking alongside him. Her honey-coloured hair lay over her face, covering her brilliant blue eyes. Her skin was light - a lot lighter than his, and warm to the touch. Ash felt warm every time he looked at the sleeping girl.

Her beauty wasn't what drew him to her though. It was everything she had done. In the span of the year he had been travelling with her, she had picked up everything good about him, in particular his perseverance, and has never once said anything bad to him. She became everything that Ash appreciated about someone. And she had taught him so much without him realising until later.

He sat down again, a small smile blossoming on his face. "Well... Perhaps I do." He finally concluded as his face turned red. "I love Serena." Even her name felt light and airy to say. "Serena... She's kind, caring, thoughtful, hardworking, constantly wants to improve, selfless, never gives up..." Ash hesitated. "She's everything I admire about someone."

Alain raised an eyebrow. "You know, I can see you as everything you mentioned. I bet you passed that on to her."

Ash shook his head. "It's different with her. I may have helped her, told her stuff, but ultimately, I'd be lost without her."

Suddenly, he broke down crying. "Why did this have to happen..?"

Alain hesitated, but came closer to Ash, and laid an arm on his shoulder. "She'll be okay, Ash. Only you know just how strong she really is."

Ash looked up at him, his eyes full of tears. "Okay... Thanks, Alain. And, I'm sorry for leaving you alone on that rock-"

Alain shook his head. "No, don't be. Serena's important to you, close to you. You did what you had to."

Ash smiled through his tears. "I gotta stop acting so... So weak." He wiped away his tears, and lowered his eyebrows. "There's gotta be something I can do for her... There must be."

He massaged his temples. A moment later, he jerked his head up. "Alain, could you do me a favour?"

Alain nodded, waiting expectantly. "Can you find Clemont and Bonnie for me?" They should be back in Prism Tower, I think. Just tell them It's about Serena."

Alain nodded again. "You got it, Ash. I owe you one, after all." He left through the door, and Ash was alone once again with Serena, and his thoughts.

His eyes were hard and determined. "Don't worry about a thing, Serena. I swear that you will get better. From the bottom of my heart, I promise."

* * *

Clemont and Bonnie burst through the doors, about an hour later. "Ash!" they exclaimed in unison, and both of them in very hushed tones, yet the worry was clear in their voices.

Ash got up. "I need you to look after her. There's something... I've got something I need to do. You can call me on this if you can't, and I'll be back in an instant." he pointed to the blue receiver that Clemont gave him.

The Lumiose siblings stared into his eyes. They couldn't protest - not that they wanted to. Serena had been with them so long, she was more than a friend. They were family.

"Don't worry, Ash. We'll stay." Bonnie said, resolute. Clemont agreed.

Ash stepped near to Serena's bed. "I'll be back before long. Clemont and Bonnie are with you now." he whispered.

Ash felt something on his wrist. He looked down - Serena's hand was holding onto it with whatever little strength she had.

He felt like he was about to cry again. "Please, Serena... I won't be long..."

A tear dripped out of Serena's fluttering eyes. "Ash..." She whispered.

Ash stood up straight. "I'm leaving her in your care now. please don't leave her!" He mumbled, and bolted out the room. His breathing was harsh and erratic.

He paused for a moment, to calm down. "Alright. She's trusting me, as are Clemont and Bonnie. But i've just had an idea."

He bolted from the room to the nurses unattended desk. Serena's bag was there. Ash opened it up, and took what he needed from it. Once he had done that, he carefully zipped it back up again and left the hospital. Around him he saw the hideous vines that once threatened the region being torn down by construction workers. He smiled. There was always hope. He couldn't ever give up hope. Ash remembered his own motto, that Serena had taken to heart and made it her own. '_Never give up until it's over._'

"Charizard! I choose you!" Ash shouted. He threw the pokeball, and his faithful dragon appeared in a rush of blue light, roaring.

Ash stared at his pokemon, with determined eyes. "Charizard, Serena is really hurt. But if I know my stuff as well as I think I do, then we can make her better. Are you able to fly me?"

Charizard contemplated it. Finally, it gave an approving, fiery snort. Ash and Pikachu hopped into Charizards back. "Okay Charizard, let's do this!"

They flew over Lumiose City, and when Charizard eventually became too tired to carry, he landed in a forest.

Ash pulled out a pokeball and one of Serena's pokepuffs. "Here Charizard, have a taste of this." Charizard glared at it gingerly before devouring it instantaneously, and his face melted into ecstasy from the bite.

Ash grinned. "Serena made them specially for fire types. Good, isn't it? I personally loved her electric type special puffs, probably because of the countless shocks Pikachu's given me." he chuckled. Pikachu sweat dropped, but laughed along.

Ash stopped and looked around. "Alright Charizard, you've been awesome buddy, return!" He held up the pokeball and Charizard was withdrawn in a flash of light.

Pikachu looked up at his trainer with a questioning look about his face.

Ash put Charizard's pokeball back on his belt, and produced four more from his bag. "Alright, come on out."

Four pokemon lined up in front of Ash. Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, and Popstar the Pikachu. They all looked at Ash sadly.

"I know how you all feel. But for now, I've had a plan on how to make her get better. For now, follow me." explained Ash.

The five pokemon followed Ash, as Pikachu filled them in on what Ash was trying to do. Nobody argued, and were instead ready to focus all their attention. "Okay!" Ash said. "When you find one, find some way of signalling to us and we'll be right over." Ash hesitated. "Actually, we'll split into pairs. Braixen, Pancham, you go together, how about the Pikachu's go as a pair, which means... You alright going with me, Sylveon?"

She nodded, actually more eagerly than Ash had expected. Sylveon wanted to spend more time with Ash anyway; the person that her trainer loved, but as an Eevee she was too scared of him, and especially how loud he was. However, this was totally different from the loud, happy-go-lucky Ash Ketchum. Right now, she felt his worry for her trainer, and therefore knew that she could trust him fully.

They all split up. After a while of Ash and Sylveon silently walking side by side, Sylveon heard a voice protrude her thoughts. "Hey Sylveon. Is performing with Serena fun?"

Sylveon nodded, happily recalling the Master Class finals in her head.

"I'm glad that you've got such a good trainer." Ash continued.

"Sylvi?" The white dog asked. While she agreed that, yes, Serena was indeed a good trainer, she wondered why Ash brought it up, and so waited for him to continue.

"You see, it's not every day that a trainer comes along with as much care and kindness as Serena. Heck, I've been on this journey for years and I'm still learning. Some pokemon like to be pushed to their limits. Others should be nurtured kindly in order for them to achieve their full potential. It didn't take your girl long to be a fully fledged Kalos Queen, after all. I'd say I'm envious, but more than anything, I'm glad. After all, you four... And all pokemon in general deserve the best. You, Braixen, Pancham and Popstar - well, you already have that."

Ash smiled to Sylveon, who returned it. "Sylvi, Sylveon." She said. Ash's eyes widened.

"You what? Serena talks about me?"

"Veon, Sylvi vi!" The pokemon giggled.

Ash took a moment, in which he struggled with himself. "But I... I don't want to hold her back in any way. It'd mean the world to me if we could continue traveling, but I'll need to return to Kanto soon, and I'll bet she needs to stay and train with you four as the Queen."

Sylveon frowned, and looked sadly. The truth was, Sylveon was already very attached to Ash. The fact that her trainer had a very blatant crush on the boy made Sylveon appreciate him more. She also felt upset that they'd have to part ways, sooner or later.

Ash lowered his head, looking glum. However, out of the blue, appeared a wild Chansey, springing out from behind some bushes!

Ash jumped for joy. "Yes, a Chansey!"

The round pink Chansey turned around to face him, looking confused.

Ash dropped to his hands and knees in front of the pokemon. "Chansey, I need your help!"

Chansey looked into Ash's eyes. They had dried by then, but they were visibly reddened and hard. His bottom lip had been recently chewed out of stress. Sylveon moved to Chansey, and began to explain. Chansey stared back at Ash kindly. "Chan, Chansey!"

Ash's eyes brightened. "Really? Thank you so much! Hey Sylveon, can you call the others?"

Sylveon nodded, and fired a swift into the air, and soon Pancham, Braixen and the Pikachu pair emerged from the bushes. They saw Chansey and looked gleeful.

"Okay." Ash said. "Here's what we'll do. Sylveon, Popstar, you two ride Charizard and Swellow to the hospital with Chansey, and I'll get the others back safely. Don't worry, just focus on getting Serena better."

He let Swellow and Charizard out, and the pokemon took the others on their backs as they flew off to the hospital.

Ash then faced Pikachu. "Hey buddy, I have one more thing I have to do. You think you'll be able to take Pancham and Braixen back?"

Pikachu nodded, and the three pokemon ran off, leaving Ash standing there on his own. "Now then." Ash determined. "I can't let them down. I'd better get to the Pokemon Center."

* * *

After coming back to the hospital after a brief trip to the Pokemon Center, Ash walked through the doors of Serena's hospital room to find the nurse, alongside Clemont, Bonnie, and the pokemon who helped him look for Chansey. To his surprise, Alain and Mairin were also both there, with Chespie cuddled in Mairin's arms, standing in the corner. Alain was staring complacently at the machine monitoring Serena's heartbeat, until Ash came in the room. "Oh, hey again Ash." He greeted.

The nurse faced Ash. "Were you the one who brought that Chansey?"

Ash nodded. "Well, it was a great idea!" she smiled. Ash lit up, relieved. She however didn't look at ease just yet. "Chansey left after using Softboil, but it looks like we'll still need something to speed up the healing process..."

Ash nodded, and reached onto his belt. He plucked a pokeball, which opened in his hand. A large green Pokémon appeared, harnessing a tree on its shell. "Hey Torterra." Ash beamed. "Long time no see, buddy."

Torterra grinned at the sight of his trainer. "Terra!" He growled happily.

Ash narrowed his eyes. "Torterra, I'll fill you in on what's going on a bit later. Right now, do you think you could use Synthesis on Serena?"

Torterra nodded, and his body began to glow bright green. The green seeped into Serena's body, making her own glisten. Green sparks emanated around her. Soon, the move ended, letting Torterra withdraw into his shell, partly due to his tiredness.

The nurse inspected Serena with awe. "Her wounds are gone!"

The trio breathed a huge sigh of relief and ecstasy, glad their friend would be okay.

"That's... That's an incredible Synthesis! I've never seen anything like it!" she mentioned, starstruck.

Ash smiled. "That's all thanks to Torterra."

The nurse looked at him, admiringly. "Well, thank you very much for the help, Torterra!" She said to the retreated shell. Torterra poked his head out and nodded before returning to rest. Meanwhile, Ash took a chair beside Clemont. The nurse continued. "She should rest here for perhaps one more day, and some crutches for her broken leg and arm should be arriving as well, so she'd be up and walking by then! You all don't need to worry!" The nurse explained, to the joy of everyone in the room.

Clemont put a hand on his chest. "What a relief! Thank goodness Serena'll be okay, even if she will need crutches." He turned to Bonnie. "I guess, now that we know Serena's doing well, I'd better head back and continue working on Clembot again."

Ash's eyes widened. "Oh! How's that going!" He asked.

"Better than I was expecting. It's still very sad knowing Clembot will be starting again from square one, but it's better than never seeing him again."

Ash nodded in agreement. "You get back to it then. I'll keep watching over her, so I'll call you when she's better." He motioned to the receiver in his pocket.

Clemont nodded, and the two Lumiose siblings left.

Ash leaned back in his chair. Alain glanced at Serena, and turned to him concerned. "So Ash, do you think you'll confess your feelings to her?"

Ash's face fell into one of deep upset. "I... I'm not sure. It would be horrible to be turned down, but it'd be even worse if I knew that I had stopped her from reaching her dream. So... Arrgh!"

Ash's slammed a hand against his forehead, fighting harsh conflict with his own mind. "I wish I could tell her..." He murmured.

Mairin put a hand on his shoulder. "Ash, you should tell her."

Ash gazed at the green-clad girl. She continued. "Nothing good can come of keeping your feelings hidden. Last time someone I knew hid his feelings, they ended up accidentally giving an evil organisation enough power to destroy Lumiose City." She exclaimed.

Alain bowed his head in shame. Mairin quickly apologised. "Sorry, that was too soon. But what I'm saying is that if you two shared the same feelings, then you'd be able to find a way to make it work when it came to it." she winked.

"Thank you, Mairin." Ash smiled gratefully. He stared up at the ceiling, and his eyebrows furrowed into a determined expression. "I guess I needed a bit of a boost. I'll... I'll tell her then." He looked up and closed his eyes, leaving Alain and Mairin stricken but pleased.

* * *

However, they weren't the only ones overjoyed by Ash's words.

It took all Serena's willpower to keep from crying. She felt two overwhelming, polar opposite emotions. Joy, and guilt.

Joy because she had overheard Ash and everything he had said. The love of her life, admitting to having feelings for her.

Guilt, as the last thing she would ever want is to make him so grief stricken as he was.

Serena knew now that there was no way she could hide her feelings for Ash. But she had very little time left, and there was still the matter of her newfound career as Kalos Queen. After all, she had read the terms. The Kalos Queen would be half a year free after the Master Class, then she would need to actively take part in performances and showcasing the Kalos region to the world.

Serena pondered on her hospital bed. Was that really the life she wanted to lead? And she decided, yes, she did want to end her journey by achieving her ambition, but she didn't want this journey to end just yet.

Two people lay there in that hospital room that evening, those two people bound together by their hopes and dreams. They lay there, thinking hard, about what their futures would entail. And most importantly, if their futures would make room for each other.

* * *

**And that, my friends, is the end of the chapter! I hope you enjoyed. This certainly has been difficult to write, but I'm certainly having fun doing it. It's a welcome break from revision and exam stress.**

**Reviews:**

What a cliffhanger! Also, Pyroar's a lion not a dog.

**Ah, thanks for the kind words! And I'll be sure to double check pokemon species beforehand; I appreciate the heads up!**

**Thanks**** for reading, and I'll see you next chapter!**


	11. Chapter 11: All thoughts in the present

**Chapter 11: All thoughts fixed on the present**

* * *

Ash had fallen asleep outside the hospital. He had been kicked out when they had to close up. He felt concerned that the building was severely understaffed - he had only seen three doctors and the nurse in there. Nevertheless, he begrudgingly agreed to leave, and waited for Serena on a nearby bench.

It was about 9am when he stirred and woke up the next day. He turned his head towards the hospital building while yawning. "Guess she's still not recovered yet." He thought. Then - "Where's Pikachu?"

He panicked for a second, but then he remembered; he had ordered his partner to stow away in Serena's room and look after her. He sighed, relieved knowing that his closest friend was safe, and protecting the girl he...

Ash blushed. Yes, it wasn't just a fleeting feeling, he realised. "Guess I really have fallen for her."

But then he gritted his teeth. He despised how things had to turn out. But there was no way Serena would relinquish her dream, and even if she did, Ash would never want that for her.

He sighed, and got up. He noticed his head was on a pillow. He smiled - one of the workers must have seen him passed out and took pity on him.

He scoffed to himself. Winner of the Kalos League, reduced to sleeping in the open. He shook off this feeling however, because he didn't really feel any malice. All he wanted was to see Serena again...

Even if would be the last time they could journey together.

Ash reached into his bag, and pulled out three pokeballs. "Huh? Where's the fourth?" He wondered. He opened them carefully - and from them emerged three familiar pokemon, though they weren't Ash's own.

Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon. They all beamed at him curiously. Ash smiled to them. "Hey everyone! Wanna go see Serena?"

The three of them agreed, delighted. "The nurse said she'll be better soon, so I guess we'll just go inside and wait until we can see her, 'kay?"

They nodded, and the four of them went inside.

The nurse spotted them immediately, and glowed at Ash. "Hi!" she smiled.

Ash felt at ease by her positive attitude. "Heya! How's Serena doing?"

She winked. "She's doing well! If you take a seat there, I'll see if I can let you see her."

Ash obliged, and he and Serena's pokemon went to sir down in the empty hospital's waiting room.

A few minutes passed as Ash chatted with the three performers.

"Pan Pancham?" Pancham said to Ash.

"Yeah, Pikachu's a great friend. Super strong as well." He responded.

Braixen looked curiously at Ash. "Brai, braixen sen?"

Ash answered this question without hesitation. "Why haven't I evolved Pikachu? Oh, that's an easy one. Pikachu doesn't want to evolve."

"Braixen?"

"Yeah - your personality changes when you evolve. If I take Sylveon for example, when she was just a little Eevee she used to be scared of everybody. Now look - she's a brilliant performer, and confident, too!"

Sylveon blushed, while Ash continued. "Basically, Pikachu doesn't want to lose his personality, especially how Raichu's tend to be very brash, while Pikachu is a lot more calm and sociable. Besides, I wouldn't change Pikachu if he didn't want to."

Serena's pokemon nodded understandingly. Ash went silent.

Then he spoke up again. "Humans change too, but over time and experience. I guess I have, definitely." He hesitated, while the three waited for him to continue. "I used to be brash, and definitely not good at handling pokemon. Now I like to think I've improved and matured." He explained.

Braixen nodded, cheerfully. "Brai, brai!"

Ash grinned. "Thanks, Braixen." He said. "Though, I sure wish we could see Serena soon."

"Your wish is my command!" A voice echoed.

Ash spun around, leaping off the sofa. It was Serena's voice.

The door to the ER opened, and out came the girl he realised he loved, the girl who he traveled with and learned so much from and who he himself had taught. By each leg was a Pikachu. Popstar, and his own partner.

"Serena!" He shouted. He wanted to run up and embrace her hugely, but sadly, she was leaning heavily on a pair of crutches and any force could probably knock her right over. Instead, he settled for sharing a smile with the girl.

"Ash, I'm so happy to see you again!" She cried, wobbling over to him.

"Me too, Serena. And look who I brought with me!"

Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon did what Ash didn't - they leapt forward and pulled Serena into a group hug. "Ah, wait!" Ash blurted. "She's still-"

Serena beamed. "Don't worry, Ash! My broken leg is on painkillers, so I won't feel anything in it for a few hours."

Ash sighed. "Well, that's good to hear, at least. How's the crutches like? It must be pretty hard to use with only one arm."

Serena nodded complacently. "They're fine. Difficult to get used to, but-"

Suddenly, Ash grinned randomly. "Want me to carry you?"

"E-eh?" Serena stammered as she went red at Ash's very casual offer.

"Well, you know... If it's hard to walk, I wouldn't mind." Ash scratched his nose, embarrassed when he realised how weird what he said was.

However, Serena smiled. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd never pass that up!"

Pancham elbowed Braixen. Braixen nodded, and the two of them started giggling.

Ash stood in front of Serena, and she gave him her crutch, shifting her weight onto one foot. Ash bent down to place her on his back - and Serena leapt on, hugging his back tightly.

"Alright!" Ash grinned hugely. "Follow me, everyone!" He said to the five awed pokemon. Ash ran - as fast as he could with Serena on his back - headed towards Prism Tower, with his Pikachu and the others in pursuit. Eventually, when Ash got tired out, he walked to a nearby bench and placed the girl onto it gently, then handed her back her crutch.

"Hope that wasn't too bumpy for you!" Ash exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

Serena blushed and smiled back. "Oh Ash, you're the best!" she said, causing Ash to also start blushing.

Serena got up and staggered onto her crutch.

Ash glanced at Prism Tower, then back to Serena. "Clemont and Bonnie should be in there, I reckon. Let's go see 'em!" He said. Serena obliged, also desperate to see her friends again.

Ash walked into the tower, and a screen in front of him crackled to life. The Pokémon Gym icon spun on the screen.

"H-hello?" A voice said. Clemonts voice. "Are you here for a gym battle?"

Ash shook his head, though it was a screen and that would make no difference. "Clemont, it's me!"

"Ah, Ash!" Clemont cried. Ash heard Bonnie gasp in the background as well.

"Alright Serena," Ash whispered, "You stand in front."

She nodded, and hobbled next to him. Ash took a small step back.

They waited a moment - then the door opened mechanically. Clemont stood in front of it, with Bonnie behind him. "Hey As- aaahhhh!" His calm voice turned into a flustered, gleeful yell when he saw - being face to face with Serena.

"Serenaaaa!" Bonnie cried, running into Serena's arms.

"Bonnie, Clemont, I'm so happy to see you guys!" Serena murmured. She stayed embracing Bonnie for several moments. Ash and Clemont looked at each other and grinned. Everything was returning to normal. Except...

"Serena, are you sure you shouldn't be in a wheelchair? You've got two broken limbs..." Clemont asked, concerned.

Serena shook her head. "I dunno, I guess I'd just rather be able to move by myself." She said, as Bonnie finally broke away from the hug.

Clemont smirked. "In that case, allow me to help!" Ash and Serena both simultaneously sweat-dropped. "The future is now, thanks to science! Clemontic gear, on!"

Clemont seemed to pull a metal stick out of his hand. "Introducing the handicap-helper mecha stabiliser!"

"Bro, that just sounds mean!" Bonnie glowered.

However, Ash seemed quite interested. "What does it do?"

Clemont held it out to him. "Ash, could you please swap this for the crutch on Serena's broken arm?"

Ash looked uncertain. "Uh... Well, Serena, is that okay?"

Serena pondered, and then shrugged. "Sure, why not."

Ash smiled slightly, and helped her take her cast arm out of the ring of the crutch, and into Clemont's new invention. When he had done so, Serena took a step - and found that her new crutch did so too!

"It responds to movement, you see, so if you move forward on your good leg then you should be fine to walk, well, as normally as you can do, at least.

Serena stared at him in awe. "Thanks, Clemont!"

"No need to thank me! You see, I thought we'd encounter a situation precisely like this one."

Ash and Serena gaped. "You did?!" They exclaimed in unison.

Bonnie sighed. "No, he was working on it all last night after we left."

Clemont scratched his nose nervously. "I saw Ash was so frantic, so the least I could do was help you guys out, you know?"

Serena smiled, somewhat guiltily. "Oh Clemont, you didn't have to do that!" She said, but Clemont shook his head.

"Just consider it a thank you for helping me out when Clembot... When he destroyed Xerosic's machine." Clemont replied.

Ash frowned. "Speaking of which, how's Clembot now?"

Clemont nodded, quite cheery. "Actually, I've nearly repaired him! Granted, there's no way I could restore all his memories, but still, I'm glad I can get him back so soon."

"Well, congrats, Clemont, and good luck!" Ash grinned.

He turned to Serena. "Hey Serena, I know it's been so soon, but I, uh, well, could you follow me?"

Serena looked quizzically at Ash. "Well, okay. Clemont, Bonnie..?"

Clemont nodded. "You go with Ash - don't worry, I gotta get back to work on Clembot anyway. So take care, and see you later!" He smiled.

Ash and Bonnie also said their goodbyes, and Ash and Serena left the gym together. The sky had became a blazing orange, almost melancholy over the destroyed land of Lumiose City, where construction workers and their pokemon sped around the place to fix it. "Is it getting that late already?" Ash pondered in his head.

"So Ash, what's this all about?" Serena asked him as they walked.

"Well, we're headed to the Pokemon Center. You see, I made a promise to someone to let you see them."

Serena stared at him, puzzled as they continued to walk.

Ash also wore a perplexed look all of a sudden. "Hey Serena... What made you do it?"

She tilted her head. "Huh? Do what?"

"Well, I know Bonnie told you that she can take care of herself, and I know she can, but, uh, you chose to help us instead."

Serena chewed her lip, unsure of how to answer. "I guess... I just thought I could help, but-"

Ash stopped her. "I appreciate that, Serena. You did help us out a lot."

"I'm sorry for making you worry so much, Ash..." she mumbled.

He didn't reply, just patted her on the shoulder and continued to walk in silence.

However, their thoughts were soon cut short, as they had arrived at the pokemon center. They went inside.

Serena looked around, and her eyes caught sight of somebody sat at a table, waving to her.

Her mother.

"Serena!" She called, leaping to her feet and running over to the two teenagers.

"Mom!" Serena cried. She stumbled over her bad leg and landed in her mother's embrace.

"Oh Serena, I'm so glad you're okay!" She responded tearfully.

Ash stepped back so as to not get in their way, but Grace caught his eye. "Ash." She stated.

Ash's eyes widened, and he straightened, attempting to make a good impression. "Yeah?"

"I don't think I can thank you enough for saving my daughter." She stated simply, smiling at the boy. Ash felt at ease then, and he relaxed slightly.

"There's no need to thank me. I just tried to make her better. She's done the same for me before." He replied.

"Well, I still appreciate it, so thank you from the bottom of my heart." She told him. "I'm just glad I can see my baby girl again."

Ash smiled. However, Serena's expression was not so happy as him. "Uh, mom?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Do... Do you mind if I stayed with you tonight?" She asked.

Grace frowned, but hid it quickly. "That's more than fine by me."

Serena nodded, then turned to Ash. "Hey Ash, sorry for leaving you after you healed me and all that..."

Ash also looked concerned, wondering what Serena was thinking. "Nah, you go, I'll be fine on my own. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah!" Serena agreed. Her and her mother parted ways with Ash, who went to get a room at the Pokemon Center, as the two girls went to Grace's hotel room.

"So Serena." Grace said when the two lay down in their beds. "It's not every day you want to stay with me. What's on your mind?"

Serena looked back with a torn expression. "I... I wanted to be the Kalos Queen, but now that I am... After knowing I'd have to give up on my journey so soon..." Serena hesitated, trying not to cry. "I don't think I want to stop traveling, but will I have to..?"

Grace got up, looking stern. "Serena, I know you never planned to become a performer when you first started on your journey. But I firmly believe you've changed for the better. If you truly want to continue traveling, then find out how to keep at your dream while still being able to do what you enjoy."

Serena bit her lip. "I also... I also don't want to say goodbye to Ash."

Surprisingly, Grace smiled. "Ah, I've suspected as much."

Serena's eyes widened. "Huh?"

"Tell me, do you love him?"

Serena hesitated, but nodded firmly. Grace cracked a grin. "That boy... He seems like a wonderful person to be around. Truly, I'm happy for you. To have found someone so reliable, so caring, especially at your young age, it's quite fascinating." Grace paused. "Tell him how you feel." she asserted.

Serena fidgeted. "I, uh, actually know how he feels. I heard him say it in hospital."

"All the more reason to tell him!" Grace shrugged. "Listen - one important fact that I've learned when I used to travel on Rhyhorn racing tours, is that if you don't make the first step, you'll never make any. So go for broke, no matter what it is you're doing."

Serena beamed. "Mom... Thanks."

Grace smiled, and rolled on her pillow to fall asleep. Serena herself felt her head sinking further into her pillow. Tomorrow will be a good day, Serena affirmed, as she drifted off into a deep sleep.

Ash paced back and forth outside the hotel the next day, with Pikachu gripping onto his shoulder. A little later after he had arrived, he received a buzz on his receiver. He picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey Ash, it's Clemont! Sorry I can't come out, I fell asleep all of last evening without realising. I can't stop now, seeing as I'm so close."

Ash nodded to himself. "That's okay! It's not like I'm going anywhere anyway, so we'll see each other later?"

"You got it!" Clemont agreed. He hung up, and Ash put the receiver away.

Then, he heard another voice call out to him. Serena's. "Ash!" She shouted.

Ash looked up - Serena was stumbling towards him. Ash ran up to her, in some sort of attempt to meet her halfway. "Morning Serena!"

"Hey Ash! Didja get a good rest?"

"That's right!" He grinned. "It sure is nice to sleep in for a change! I'm sure the others appreciate it too!" He scratched his head while chuckling.

Serena giggled. "So in that case, did you come here for something?"

Ash put a finger to his chin, and blushed slightly. "Uh, well, I've pretty much got a free day today, and I let the others roam around and do what they want. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is... Do you want to come out with me?"

Serena's cheeks burned red, though she beamed at him. "Yeah, that would be lovely!"

Ash smiled. "Awesome! I was just thinking we wander around town, like we did in Coumarine."

"Alright, sounds great!"

The two of them walked slowly next to each other. "Serena, check this out!" Ash remarked after a while.

"Yeah?"

He pointed to a pair of orange dresses in a shop window. Serena smiled. "That looks beautiful!"

Ash grinned, relieved that his... Not so keen eye for fashion was able to spot something Serena liked. He pondered for a moment. "Hey Serena." She turned to him. "Can you do me a favour?" He asked.

Serena tilted her head curiously. "Sure, what is it?"

Ash shrugged. "I've never been great when it comes to clothes - usually my mom finds or makes things for me. So, um, could you give me some tips on what looks nice?"

Serena giggled yet again. "Aw, sure thing!" With that, they entered the clothing store and began to look around.

Serena stopped, and Ash watched her, focusing intently on everything she said. "So, Ash. First thing you should know is which clothes are for which occasion!" She explained. Ash nodded, taking a mental note. "For example, what you're wearing now is great for traveling, but for anything very formal, like a fancy dinner or something like that, it's best to wear... Hmmm, aha!"

She scanned through a section of tuxedos until she came across a murky green suit, with a bow tie and fedora combo.

Serena picked it up with her working hand and held it against Ash's chest. "Yeah, I reckon that suits you!" She exclaimed, making Ash blush again.

"Wow, thanks!" Ash responded happily, and went into the fitting room to try it on.

He came out a minute later. "Well, whaddaya think?" He asked Serena. However, she didn't say a word - instead, she stared at him, open mouthed. "Uh, Serena?"

Serena snapped back to her senses, going bright red. "Y-y-yeah! You look great!" She stuttered.

Ash grinned. "Awesome!" and then Serena left the store immediately, to cool herself off.

"_Wow... Ash looks good too..._" she thought to herself with a crimson blush.

Soon, Ash exited too, and stood next to her. "Hey, we're by the airport, aren't we? You mind if I check it out real quick?"

Serena nodded, and they headed over. The receptionist told her that the airport would be reopening in a few days. Ash thanked her, and left. "Looks like i'll be going home soon." He told Serena.

But for some reason, he wasn't happy. In fact, the news made him feel dejected. But why? He had always headed home after a league, always to settle down and relax after a long adventure, and to prepare for his next. But this time, he was reluctant to do so. Ash wondered to himself. There had to have been a reason why he didn't want to leave Kalos. He looked at Serena, and understood.

It was because of her he felt this way. He didn't want to leave her behind. Ash bit his lip. He wished he could say something to Serena, but she had her own journey, her own dream. Ash's eyebrows furrowed, and he turned away from her. "Hey look! Let's get one of those!" He said, running off to a food truck.

They both waited in line for a few minutes, and left with a snack each.

"Man, these are delicious!" Ash said while gulping the biscuit down.

Serena smiled softly. "Yeah, it looks like Lumiose City is finally returning to normal."

Ash looked at her. She had a vacant expression on her face. His eyes narrowed. Then, he had an idea. "Hey Serena, let's have a battle!"

Serena stared at him. "Huh?" But then he held her hand, and she blushed heavily as he lead her near to Prism Tower.

Ash took a look down the staircase. "Whew, the battlefield's still there!"

They walked down together; "Huh, this is the battlefield I saw you doing a performance on!" Serena remarked, making Ash scratch his nose sheepishly.

"Hah, yeah, but also a battlefield I fought Clemont on when we first met. Granted, I didn't know he was the Lumiose gym leader."

"Well, whaddaya know!" Serena exclaimed.

Ash continued. "You see, whenever I'm feeling down about something, I find a battle really helps clear my head a bit."

Serena realised what was going on. Ash wanted to cheer her up.

"You'll feel better, i reckon!" Ash confirmed, and Serena smiled.

"Alright then!" Serena agreed. "I've never had a proper battle with you before, so let's do it!"

Serena slowly walked to her side of the battlefield, and tossed a pokeball in front of her. "Braixen, let's go!"

Braixen emerged out of her pokeball, and stood on the battlefield eagerly.

Ash motioned to Pikachu, who promptly jumped off his shoulder and stood facing Braixen.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash commanded, and Pikachu darted at Braixen, colliding head on with her stick which she used to block. However, Pikachu's strength overwhelmed her and she was knocked back.

"Darn, Pikachu's good!" Serena gasped.

"Yeah, keep it up buddy; Iron Tail!"

Braixen tried to block, but again, Pikachu was too strong, and his tail sent her crashing into the floor. She staggered back onto her feet, swiping dirt off her fur.

Serena grinned. "I've got it! Just act like this is a performance!" She told her fox partner. "Alright, Flamethrower!"

"Dodge it, quick!" Ash told Pikachu, who leapt above the blast.

"Jump up, and use Scratch!" Serena ordered. Braixen did so, getting above Pikachu, and honing her claws.

"Iron Tail!" shouted Ash. The two pokemon met midair with their moves.

"And now use Fire Blast!" Serena yelled, and Braixen, with her free hand, reached into her tail and picked up her trusty stick, sending another burst of flames to hit Pikachu.

Pikachu was thrown backwards, but he landed on his feet. "Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed. He grinned at Serena. "Good going! You two make an awesome team!"

Serena beamed. "Thanks Ash!"

"You, and all of your pokemon as well!" Ash added. His face was cheerful and airy. "Yeah, you've got a strong bond with all of them. Sylveon, Pancham, Braixen... I could sense their faith in you when we were trying to find something to help you get better."

Serena put a hand on her heart, appreciatively. "Oh, Ash..."

"When you helped me come to my senses, I figured it out, that I couldn't do anything with my pokemon if it wasn't as a team. And you've had that team spirit in you right from the get-go!"

Serena put a hand to her chin. "Actually Ash, you were the one who made me who I am. You... You're my inspiration!"

"That means a lot to me Serena, thanks." Ash beamed.

Serena recalled Braixen. "You've been so great!" She told the pokeball gently, tucking it away. "Ash? I've figured out what I want to do!"

"Glad to hear it!" Ash replied.

Serena made to leave. "I've got somewhere I need to go! Is that alright?"

Ash nodded, somewhat skeptical. "Well, I don't mind at all! Though, do you want to meet up back here tonight?" Ash asked her. Serena nodded, and Ash sighed with relief, unusually. "See you then, and good luck!" he said, and they parted ways.

Ash headed back into town. Pikachu strolled alongside next to him. "Pikapi, pipika pikachu!"

Ash sighed. "Yeah, I know, I know, I honestly love her. But I can't stop her from being a performer."

Pikachu grimaced, and gave Ash a fleeting Thunderbolt. "Gah!" Ash yelled. "What was that for?!"

"Pikachu, pikapikachu!" Pikachu growled angrily.

Ash looked shocked. Literally, and emotionally. "You really think I should tell her? But why?"

"Pikapika, chupikapi!"

Ash's eyes widened. "You're right. Okay, I'll do it. Thanks for the kick, I really needed it, buddy." he said, scratching Pikachu on the chin. They went into a store, and a couple of minutes later, They walked out, Ash carrying a bag.

* * *

Serena went inside the pokemon center alone. She went to a computer, dialled in a number, and waited for the call to connect.

"Hello?" A voice on the other end picked up. Aria.

"Aria, it's me, Serena!"

Aria beamed. "Hiya Serena! Tell me, are you enjoying being Kalos Queen?"

However, Serena frowned, and her eyes wandered. "Well, there was something I wanted to ask you."

Aria looked at her with a concerned expression. "Sure, what is it?"

Serena chewed on her bottom lip. "You see, I'm not going to stay in Kalos anymore." As Aria looked as if she was about to protest, Serena continued hastily. "You see, I don't think I could be the best that I can be if I haven't experienced the rest of the world. And I don't want to be stuck in one region for my entire life, so... I'm so sorry!" She bowed her head.

Strangely, Aria giggled. "That's totally fine by me! That will make me the Queen again, after all! But in all seriousness, if you think you have a plan all figured out, then you go for it! No holding yourself back just because of some silly title!"

Serena looked at her with a big smile. "Aria, thank you so much!"

Aria winked. "Anytime, friend!" And she signed off, leaving Serena beaming at a dead screen. Serena turned around and did a small fist-pump to herself.

Her journey wasn't to end just yet, and soon, she'd be free to travel the world. And she had one more motive. One she didn't want to tell anyone, except for Ash.

And she would do so tonight.

* * *

**There we have it! The much needed date episode, after the tormented previous chapter. I hope you all enjoyed reading, and I'll see you next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 12: Making our Dream a Reality

**Chapter 12: Making our dream a reality [END OF SEASON 1]**

* * *

Serena stared at her hair in the mirror. It was tied in a messy ponytail. She played with it a little, and frowned. "Gah, I can't go out looking like this!" She said, but Sylveon, who was behind her, tapped her on the back with a ribbon.

"Sylveon, sylvy!"

Serena nodded, picking herself up. "You're right! I can't back down now! I'll do this, no matter what! Because I have to, for my own sake." She put her hand on her heart. "Okay! Wish me luck!"

"Pancham!"

"Sylveon!"

"Brai, braixen!"

Serena smiled sweetly at her three pokemon, and left her room in the pokemon center. She checked her map - it was already 9pm.

* * *

She headed to the battlefield, mentally psyching herself up for what she wanted to, and with the help of the Clemont's mechanical crutch, she made it to where she promised to meet Ash.

However, when she did reach the top of the stairwell down to where Ash was standing, she wasn't quite prepared for what she saw.

She herself had dressed up for the occasion, wearing the furisode dress Valerie designed and gifted her, despite not knowing what Ash wanted to do, because today would be the day she told him how she really felt. Seeing Ash also dressed handsomely was not what she was expecting.

"Serena!" he called. He ran up the staircase to see her. "Whoa, looks like we had the same idea when it came to dressing up." He said, scratching his head nervously.

Serena meanwhile was too busy gazing at his features. While his hair was as messy as it usually was, it didn't take away from the stunning suit he wore - the dark green one with the fedora Serena picked out for him. She hadn't expected him to buy it, that's for sure.

Ash smiled awkwardly. "Well, you look great in that dress, like always!" he told her, causing the girl to blush.

"Thank you Ash! You look really nice as well!" She exclaimed with a smile.

Ash blushed feverishly. "U-uh, well, shall we get going?"

Serena nodded. "Where to?"

Ash almost tripped over his words. Serena noticed - after all it was quite unlike him to be nervous about anything. "Well, after what happened at that giant rock, I... I just wanted to take you out for a nice dinner, f-for being so brave, you know?"

"Is that right? Well, I'd love that a lot!" Serena giggled. Ash chuckled too, and she followed him. They went to, and then headed inside a late night cafe.

Ash went to the counter, feeling pretty on edge. "Um, I have a table reserved for Ash Ketchum?" He stammered.

The bartender beamed. "You got it! Your table's that one in the far corner. She motioned to it, and Ash thanked her before leading Serena over there. They took a seat, and began to talk.

"So, uh, how do you like it?" Ash asked.

Serena grinned, the slyness in her expression seeming very out of character. She was a lot more confident than usual, either due to her nerves playing tricks on her, or because she knew Ash really loved her back. Somehow, it had made her want to have a little fun with the poor, dense boy she was with. "Yeah, it's lovely!" She replied. "It's got such a romantic atmosphere, don't you think?"

Ash blushed profusely. "Uh, if you say so!" He murmured, and Serena attempted to stifle another giggle. He looked around. "Though, I guess you're right. There are quite a few couples... It's quite nice, honestly." he murmured to her.

Soon the waiter appeared, placing down a tray holding two chocolate cake slices, as well as two cups of tea, in front of them. They both beamed. "Thank you!" They said to the waiter in unison, who simply bowed in response, and left them.

Serena was eager to continue their conversation. "Yeah, they do call Kalos 'the land of love'! It's because it's got a reputation for many happy marriages."

Ash looked impressed. "Wow, is that so!" He paused, and muttered to himself. "Love..."

He stopped himself quickly, and took a bite of his cake. "Man, that's good! You gotta try some!" he declared.

Serena did so, copying Ash completely. Her face lit up when she swallowed. "You're right! It's delicious!"

Ash smiled at her words, and continued to eat with her. They silently basked in each others company while they ate, and soon they were finished.

* * *

"Just in time, they're closing up now." Ash sighed. He walked along with Serena, from the cafe to the center and heart of the city - Lumiose Tower. It seemed dark without its lights lighting up the city.

Serena glanced at the boy next to her. His eyes were unfocused, staring off into space. Serena took a deep breath. It was time, she decided. Now or never. Now or never.

After a few seconds, she opened her mouth to speak..

"Serena."

Serena stopped, watching Ash intently. "Huh?"

"I have to tell you this now, or I'm afraid I'll regret it." Ash told her firmly. Serena nodded at him. "I'm going back to Kanto soon, but before I do... I want you to know - that -"

Serena's eyes widened. Was this really happening?

"When I first met with you again about a year ago, I had no idea who you were, but I was drawn to you. Perhaps it's just because you're a kindhearted girl, but something about you just made me feel like I was complete, as a person. And throughout our journey together, I've noticed more and more... That I'm so dependent on you, on your support. I've tried to seem like the reliable one, who you can count on to help, but in reality, you've been helping me emotionally, to get through everything. Each battle, at the gyms and the league... It's because you were here, and I was reminded of my own strength." He hesitated, and gulped.

His mouth was dry and his forehead sweaty out of pure nervousness. "I was so purely happy for you when you won the Master Class, but deep down, I was also crushed, because I won't see you again when I go back to Kanto. Because I don't want to be the reason that you give up on your dream-"

Serena had clutched his hand, and beamed at him through shining eyes. "Ash, let me. You saved me in the forest back in Oak's summer camp, and I never forgot you. I wasn't happy after I moved to Kalos. I never made any friends, but everything changed when I saw you again. You've given me so much, and I'll always be grateful for it. So thank you."

Ash's mouth was open in disbelief. Yet, Serena continued, having said too much to stop now. "I'm always so happy when I'm around you... And I know why. It's because I... I like you a lot, more than just as a friend... I want to stay with you for as long as I live. Ash, I-I.. I truly love you!"

It was finally out. Serena had said what she had held in for an entire year, and to her, it was the biggest weight off her shoulders. She felt immediately like a lighter person as a result.

Ash stared at her in utter shock. She really felt the same way about him. His heart pounded in his chest, but throughout his body ran an electric, tingling sensation. Is that what love is? "Serena..." He finally muttered. "Please, please forgive me..."

Serena frowned. "Forgive you for what?"

Ash looked as though he was about to cry. "I love you too... I love you and I will love you always. But I don't think I could live with myself if I was the reason you stopped being Kalos Queen!" A tear did escape his eyes then.

Serena smiled softly at him. "So what're you gonna do when you head back to Kanto?"

Ash stared hard at the ground. He wiped his eyes, and got his voice back. "I'm a stronger person, and it's thanks to you and everything I've learned. So when I go back, I will fight the eight gyms one by one, retake the Indigo League and win. Then, I'll fight the champion, Red, and win too." He declared.

Serena grinned. "Well, you see, I'm going to Kanto too!"

Ash was taken aback, so Serena carried on. "I'll never be the best performer I can be if I didn't have enough experience. Besides, I want to travel the world! There are whole regions I've never been to before." Serena's eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement. "Regions with pokemon I've never seen, regions that have a different way of life to ours... There's a huge world that I don't know about!" She beamed. "And Ash... I'd love to see it with you."

Ash gazed at her with bewildered, delighted eyes. "In that case Serena, let me start over." He took a deep breath. "I love you. I am happy when I see you happy, and would be crushed to ever see you upset. So Serena... Will you... Will you stay by my side?"

Serena closed her eyes to stop herself from bawling our of joy. "Oh Ash!" She gave him a full embrace with her one working arm, but Ash felt her intense body heat, warming him up and melting his stresses away. "I'll stay with you... I'll never leave your side, I promise!"

Ash returned the hug, awestruck and exhilarated. He held her hand, and turned to the tower. There were a group of people gathered around it. "Soon, Clemont's gonna get this tower relit, and the city's gonna celebrate its own revival around it." Ash explained. Serena checked her map's clock. 11:59pm. A minute to midnight. And then, a chant began around her.

"Ten! Nine! Eight!" The citizens shouted. Ash and Serena joined in.

"Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!"

They changed, and suddenly, the tower lit up, each panel glowing with light from bottom all the way to the top. When the tower was fully lit, a firework popped off in the sky, followed by another, and more. From everywhere around the couple, there was cheering from the citizens of Lumiose, glad their city could return to normal. As for Ash and Serena, they were so glad to have their feelings known to each other. The knowledge that they would be together gave them warmth, despite the chill of the night.

Serena and Ash watched the beautiful night sky, lit radiantly by Prism Tower and the popping of colourful fireworks, while holding hands. Serena turned to her recently declared partner. "Ash, will you kiss me?" She asked, blushing furiously.

Ash's face also went deep crimson, but he leaned over to her and placed his lips against her own.

Serena's head was spinning from the exhilaration. Ash had kissed her. Ash, the densest person she would ever meet, had kissed her. It would be a memory she would treasure for the her entire life.

And it would be, the first day of the rest of her life with Ash. It made her burn up inside just thinking about it.

* * *

Serena woke up the next morning, in a pokemon center. She got up and looked around, praying it wasn't just a dream. She looked at the sleeping boy next to her, and felt her lips. They still tingled with the feeling of yesterday's kiss on them.

"Serena..." A voice grumbled. It was Ash, who was stirring in front of her. He wiped his eyes, and got up to face her with a big grin on his face. "Last night... I can safely say it was the best night of my life." He assured her.

Serena's sleepy eyes were bright with joy. "Me too... I'm so glad I can be with you, for the rest of my life."

Ash agreed. But then his eyes went wide. "Ah, but how are we gonna tell Clemont, Bonnie and the others?" he realised.

Serena pondered. Then her face broke out into a wide grin. "Actually, you just follow my lead."

Ash smiled, somewhat skeptical but also excited.

* * *

The two of them got changed - sadly for them, they had to do so in separate rooms because that was where their clothes were. However, their minds were still nothing but joyous.

The two of them walked side by side to Prism Tower. However, when they got there, they didn't see anybody there. "Hello? Clemont?" Ash called out.

No answer.

They walked around a bit before acknowledging that the place was empty. Ash sighed, and left with Serena following shortly behind him. "I wonder where they could be?" Serena thought aloud.

"Well, they probably went out. Do you wanna go to Professor Sycamore's lab to say goodbye to him, Alain and Mairin?" Ash asked. Serena nodded, and they set off once again.

They were walking to the lab when they heard a voice call out to them. "Hey, Ash!"

Professor Sycamore ran up to them. "I was looking for you! Alain wanted me to bring you here."

Ash looked pleasantly surprised. "Oh, okay. I wonder what it's about?"

"Well, after you two." Sycamore said, stepping back and motioning towards the front door. Ash stepped towards it, and pushed it open.

To his and Serena's utmost shock, there were nine people standing there in front of them.

"Surprise!" They all shouted. Bonnie, Clemont, Shauna, Trevor, Tierno, Sawyer, Alain, Mairin, and Aria.

Clemont stepped forward, slightly sheepish. "So we know that you guys will be leaving soon, although Aria never said where exactly Serena was going, so we decided to throw a leaving party for you both." he explained.

Bonnie had Pikachu on her head, and they were both grinning from ear to ear. "Look, look! Mairin and I made the decorations!"

Ash looked around - there were cute little cardboard cutouts of several pokemon. Ash's eyes were particularly drawn to the ones resembling his own pokemon - Pikachu, Greninja, Talonflame, Hawlucha, Goodra and Noivern. He grinned back at everyone. "Thanks, you guys! This is the best!"

Shauna was greeting Serena with delight. "So how's it going? Are you feeling any better?"

Trevor looked quite exasperated with her. "Shauna, you can't ask someone if they're better when it's quite obvious she's wearing a cast on her arm and has a crutch supporting her!"

Serena sweat dropped. "Oh no, it's okay, really! Clemont made me this so that I could walk normally." She pointed to her crutch, and gave a demonstration through a little dance, albeit slow and mechanically. However, it did make Shauna and Aria laugh, and even Trevor smiled, though mainly out of relief.

Alain went over to Ash. "So Ash, I was thinking of working with professor Sycamore again, like I used to."

Ash patted him on the shoulder. "Nice, good for you!"

However, Alain stared severely at the floor. "I... I helped team Flare out in creating that horrible devastation, whether I knew or not, and I don't even know where to begin to pay for my mistakes." He murmured.

Ash looked at him concerned, but still put on a smile. "Alain... I don't know about all that, but when we battled at the league, it was the most fun I've had during a league battle. That's the Alain that I know."

Alain looked up at him, touched by his words.

"I don't care how you were or what you did before. All you can really do now is focus on the present, and dream for the future." Ash finished with a grin.

Alain smiled. "Ash, you're always so kind, I appreciate it. Thank you, for helping me see what's right."

"Well, Imma be honest, I've been in your shoes too, where I was stuck and I didn't know what to do or how to move forward, but Serena helped me through it." Ash laughed softly. "So you just work hard to be the best, and when we meet each other next, let's have a battle!"

Alain grinned back. "That sounds good to me! You're on!"

Ash overheard Clemont ask Serena a question. "So Serena, have you decided where you wanted to go?"

Serena nodded, but then she blushed, and shuffled inconspicuously over to Ash. "Well you see... I've decided..."

Everyone leaned in to see what she had to say.

Her voice was quiet, since feeling the anticipation in the air, and knowing that what she was about to say would be huge. "I'm going to go, wherever he does." She announced softly but clearly, so that everybody could hear. With that, she held Ash's hand, causing the boy to blush pink along with her.

The room was silent. Then there were gasps, shrieks, and most importantly, cheers.

"Oh man, this is sooooo cute!" Bonnie gushed, tackling Serena in a big hug, causing the teen to drop her boyfriend's hand.

Sawyer leapt over to Ash, and threw his arm on top of the stunned boy's shoulder. "Ash, that's amazing, I'm so glad for you!" Sawyer exclaimed, awe evident in his expression.

Tierno started bawling, and Trevor went to pat him on the back with mock consolation. "Ahhh, Ash I'm jealous, but you deserve such a wonderful girl like her..!" Tierno blurted.

Alain and Clemont were also quick to congratulate Ash, while Mairin went over to Serena. "You two are perfect for each other!" Mairin remarked happily.

Shauna joined in the hug with Serena and Bonnie. "Feel free to ignore Tierno, he's just a big baby." Shauna giggled, getting a stifled laugh out of Serena. "I'm so happy for you though, really! It's a shame Miette couldn't be here though!"

Serena's eyes widened hugely. "How'd you know about that?"

"I know everything when it comes to girls being girls!" Shauna shrugged.

Professor Sycamore, along with Sophie, was watching the party with great delight. They chatted casually about the couple. Then, he smelt something from the kitchen.

He walked over to the group. "I hate to interrupt something so wonderful as this couple right here," he gestured to Ash and Serena, "but lunch is ready!"

"Yeah! Let's eat!" they all shouted.

* * *

After the meal, Serena went off to talk to Shauna and Aria (for apparently 'one last shopping trip') and Ash strolled outside to play with Sycamore,'s pokemon. Then he heard a voice behind him.

"Ash."

Ash turned around - professor Sycamore was standing with a small lead box in his hand facing him.

"Something the matter, professor?" he asked.

Professor Sycamore looked somewhat solemn. "Lysander's been sent to prison, and Alain was in a pretty bad place after this whole Team Flare thing." but then his expression shifted into a happier one. "Ash, you really made Alain feel better, so thanks for that. I'm glad that he can be on my team again."

Ash smiled back. "I'm happy to help anytime!"

The professor stretched out his hand, handing Ash the box he was holding. "This was something I gave Lysander when I thought he was good. Officer Jenny confiscated it from him and gave it to me, but I have one already. So it's all yours, as a token of my gratitude."

Ash opened the box. Inside sat a clear crystal that caught a translucent reflection and shined radiantly. Ash inspected it closer - the gem had a thin sliver of marking within it, in the shape of a DNA double helix. The marking of a key stone.

Ash's jaw dropped. "Professor, are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! You deserve one, after all." Sycamore beamed. "As for the mega stone... That's all up to you. Perhaps you'll find it, as Korrina did. Perhaps it'll come as a gift, maybe a reward or repayment. Whatever happens on your journey is your experience, so just go for it! I'll be rooting for you from back here in Lumiose!"

Ash closed the box and put it in his bag. He grinned hugely, and then decided. "Meh, why not." And put his hand out for a high five. Which Sycamore happily took.

Next, Ash went to Serena and they went to the two Lumiose siblings.

Bonnie was crying. Even Clemont seemed pretty close to tears.

Ash went in for a bro-hug with his blonde friend. "Clemont, I'm gonna miss you and Bonnie a lot..."

"Same here, Ash." Clemont said. "But being on a journey with you taught me so much, about the world, and about people and pokemon... You gave me a view I may have never seen before."

Clemont had to bite his lip to keep his voice from breaking. "Man, its been so much fun... Thanks for being my friend."

Ash patted him on the back, succumbing to the joyful tears himself. "Oh brother... Clemont - me, you, Bonnie, Serena... We're a family, you got that?"

Clemont nodded. "That sounds about right to me."

"Then we'll see you around next time, I promise you that!"

* * *

It was already starting to become late, and the last flight to Kanto would be coming in soon. Ash and Serena said their touching goodbyes to their Kalosian friends, before they left for the airport.

The two of them held hands as they boarded their flight, and Serena slept in Ash's lap as he stroked her soft, honey-blonde hair while gazing at all the pokemon out the window.

"Never in all my life did I ever think about love. But I've just got together with the love of my life, and I'm the happiest I've ever been before." he thought. A flock of fletchlings flew past Ash's window in a flying v formation. "I wonder what my mom will think? I still don't know what Serena's mom thinks of me... I hope she approves."

After long hours, the pilots voice came on over the radio, interrupting the movie Ash was watching, 'Detective Pikachu'. Serena was still soundly asleep on him. He smiled, though his legs had numbed.

"Hello, this is your captain speaking. We'll be landing in Saffron City shortly. Please fasten your seatbelts, there might be some slight turbulence."

Ash shook Serena gently. "Hey sweetie," he started. The words sounded cheesy in his mouth, and he went red just saying it, but it wasn't a bad feeling. "We're nearly here. We just gotta take a taxi to Pallet Town and we'll be at my home."

Serena stirred. She looked into Ash's eyes. "That sounds good..."

Finally the plane landed, and Ash and Serena got up while Ash took his bag, and Serena reached for hers. They didn't have much luggage, considering they did travel everywhere, so they managed to leave the airport fast. They hailed a taxi, paid the driver and after a twenty minute drive, arrived in Ash's home town.

* * *

The couple walked down the hill overlooking the landscape. "It's a beautiful place!" Serena acknowledged.

Ash nodded, and pointed at the pokemon tunnelling around next to him. "Wow, I haven't seen diglett in a long time! Oh, and look at those butterfree!"

Serena smiled to see Ash so childishly happy with life. He pointed when they reached the bottom. "Look! There's my house, and there's professor Oak's lab!"

Serena breathed in deeply and shakily. She knew it was due to nervousness. She wanted to make a good impression to Ash's mother. She stared at her crutch, and silently felt slightly worried - it would not be a fun story explaining how she got it. However...

"Hey Serena, where should we go first? I can introduce to my mom, or introduce you to the gang?" Ash asked. Pikachu's face lit up at the prospect of seeing his old friends again.

"Seeing as Pikachu wants to so badly," Serena laughed, "Why don't we go see your pokemon?"

Ash grinned, and the three of them sped up, trying to walk as fast as they can side by side, despite Serena's broken leg.

After a few more minutes of walking, they arrived at the lab. Ash walked up and knocked. "Professor, it's Ash!" he shouted.

The door swung open. "RIRIRIRI!" bellowed a mechanical voice, accompanied by a speeding bolt of lightning.

Ash gave the pokemon a big grin. "Hey, Rotom! It's been a while!"

Professor Oak walked up from behind Rotom. "Oh, Ash! How's it going!" he beamed.

"I'm doing great!" he replied, and then he stepped to the side, to show the girl next to him. "Professor, this is Serena!"

Oak stuck out his hand for a handshake, which Serena took politely. "Nice to meet you, young lady!" Then, he gasped dramatically. "Wait a minute Ash! This is the Kalos Queen!"

"Former Kalos Queen." She corrected, making Ash wince slightly. It was still distasteful for him to be the reason why she wasn't the Kalos Queen anymore, even if that was what she had wanted.

"Though Ash, it's quite rare for you to bring home your travel friends! So what's this about?" Oak wondered.

Ash went red. He couldn't exactly hide this relationship from anyone - considering, they were a couple, and they would be travelling together throughout the Kanto region. "Well, uh... She's-"

Serena smiled, and took Ash's hand. Ash blushed even brighter, but nodded. Oak looked at the pair, noticed their blushing faces, and broke out into a huge grin. "Well, I never! Congratulations!" Oak excitedly cheered.

Ash sighed with relief. "But, professor?"

Professor Oak regained his composure, and looked at Ash. "Yes, yes, you want to see your pokemon, right? Go right on ahead! I'm still working on sorting out the data professor Sycamore sent me about Mega Evolution - it is true that a vast number of mega stones have been located in the Kanto region, mainly for Kanto native pokemon... But enough of that! You go see your pokemon!"

Ash grinned, and Serena followed him into the field.

The second they arrived, Ash saw his Bulbasaur asleep on a rock. "Bulbasaur!" He yelled. Bulbasaur opened his eyes, and beamed when he saw his trainer. Ash ran over to greet him, but then he heard a loud noise coming closer.

"Ash, look out!" Serena cried, but it was too late - Ash only turned to face the noise until he realised it was his stampede of Taurous, who proceeded to steamroller their poor trainer. Serena cringed, and went over to see if he was alright. "Are you okay?"

Ash's eyes were dazed. "Y-yeah..." He sighed, staggering back onto his feet.

Serena looked back at the Taurous. "Are these _all_ your pokemon?!" She questioned, bewildered.

Ash nodded, clutching his aching head. "Yep! Though, they stay at Oak's lab whenever I'm off travelling. Which, this has been my longest travel yet - I went from the Unova region to the Decolore Islands without skipping a beat, then I came home, but only for a day, because Alexa had told me about Kalos, and I was so desperate to come. So perhaps it'd be nice to kick back here for a bit before we head off through Kanto." He explained, pondering this last part aloud.

"That does sound nice, actually." Serena agreed.

Bulbasaur crawled up to Ash, and began to talk with Pikachu. "Bulba, bulbasaur!"

"Pikachu, Pikapi pipika chupi!"

Bulbasaur's eyes widened. "Bulba?!"

Bulbasaur and Serena made eye contact. She smiled at him kindly, and Bulbasaur smiled back, going over to her foot and rubbing his head against her shin affectionately.

Ash chuckled. "Looks like Bulbasaur has taken a liking to you!"

Serena nodded, smiling. "That makes me happy to hear! I just hope it's the same for the rest of your pokemon!"

Ash turned to Bulbasaur. "Hey buddy, do you think you can gather everyone? Like, the whole gang?"

Bulbasaur looked at Ash as if he was insane. "Bulbasaur?!"

Even Pikachu didn't like the sound of that. "Pika, pikachu!" he said, trying to convince Ash.

Ash sighed, scratching the back of his head. "I guess you're right, that would be a big mistake. Best to talk with them one by one, huh?" But then he noticed the sun was quite low in the sky. It was getting late.

He looked down, disappointed. "Well, I can always come back tomorrow." His face brightened suddenly. "Yeah! I'll come back tomorrow, and we can play with everyone! How does that sound Pikachu, Bulbasaur?"

They both jumped happily at the prospect. Ash waved goodbye to his first grass-type. "Well, it's been great seeing you again, Bulbasaur! See you tomorrow!" he said, before he, Serena and Pikachu left the lab.

"Next up is mom!" Ash exclaimed cheerfully.

Serena bit her lip, but hid her concern. "That's right! I sure hope I can get on well with her!"

Ash nodded. "Me too. But I'm sure you will."

They made it to his house, and Ash gave it a once over with his eyes before knocking. "Hello?"

Mr Mime was the one to answer. "Mime?" Then he jumped up excitedly. "Mr Mime, mime!" he cried.

Ash's mother, Delia Ketchum, descended the stairs to see her son and his friend outside the door, looking gleeful. "Ash!" she cried. "Welcome home!" she looked at Serena. "Come in!" she smiled cheerfully, then she winked at them both. "I've made dinner!"

The two of them stepped into the house, took their shoes off and went into the front room to sit.

Delia got the plates down while Ash laid out the dishes and cutlery. "So Ash, you must tell me about your journey! I wasn't able to watch the Kalos League unfortunately, I was visiting the Alola region with a prize ticket Mr Mime won."

Ash grinned, and went to his bag. "Well mom, it took me six years, but I've finally done it." He pulled the trophy from it, and handed it to her. Delia looked at it with shining, proud eyes. When she couldn't think of anything to say, she simply beamed, and said "That's my boy!"

She put the food on the table in front of them, and Ash took a seat next to Serena, while Delia sat opposite them. "Ash, you know it's rude to have not introduce me to your friend!" his mother frowned.

Ash lowered his head. "Sorry, mom! Well, this is Serena, and Serena, this is my mother!"

Serena smiled kindly. "Nice to meet you, Ms Ketchum!"

Delia returned the smile. "Come now, you can call me Delia. So Ash, where did you meet this wonderful girl?"

Ash bit his lip, slightly fearful of what was to come. "So, uh, do you remember Serena and her mother Grace, the Rhyhorn racer, from summer camp 10 years ago?"

Delia nodded. "Yes, I was quite good friends with Grace, until she moved to..." her eyes widened suddenly. "Are you telling me that this is the same Serena you met in camp, the one who followed you around everywhere and you wouldn't let go of?!"

Serena nodded with a nervous laugh. "Heh, yeah, that's me."

"Well I'll be!" Delia exclaimed. "What a small world we live in, eh?"

Ash agreed, but he had to get straight to the point, otherwise things would be so awkward between them and his mother.

"Mom, the thing is... Serena and I... Well, she's my girlfriend." Ash stammered severely trying to say what he needed to, but the point hit home immediately.

Delia looked quite taken aback, but soon she smiled uncontrollably. "I see, I see..

She stepped forward, and turned to a jittery Serena. "If Ash truly does love you, and you love him..."

"I do, I love him, and I have ever since summer camp!" Serena assured her quickly.

She laid a hand on Serena's shoulder. "In that case, what else can I say except... Welcome to the family, Serena!" Delia laughed.

Serena blushed deeply. "Ms Ketch- Delia, thank you so much!"

"Think nothing of it!" she beamed. "Just take care of my boy, even if he can be a handful."

"Oh no, he's not at all!" Serena said. "In fact, he helps me so much."

"And you've always been there for me, don't forget!" Ash butted in.

Delia laughed. "Well Serena, make yourself at home, and Ash, I want you to clear the guest room so your _girlfriend_ feels comfortable!" She told them, putting emphasis on the word girlfriend, causing Ash and Serena to both blush in unison.

"You got it mom!" Ash responded, and he was about to charge upstairs, when she continued.

"Oh, and Ash?"

"Huh?"

"Happy 17th birthday!"

Ash's eyes widened. "Oh yeah, I forgot! Time really flew, didn't it!"

Serena looked quite shocked. "Ash, you never told me today was your birthday!"

Ash scratched his nose. "Haha, sorry, I guess I just never thought about it!"

Serena sighed complacently, and then put a finger to her chin. "It's quite a coincidence though, because mine is next week!"

"That's awesome!" Ash grinned. "Maybe me and Mom can take you to the seafoam islands! There's this brilliant restaurant there, and it's-"

"Ash." Delia interrupted.

"Yeah, mom?"

"Stop harassing the poor girl and go and do some work! Besides, I've left you a present up in your room."

"Alright mom!" He yelled, and raced up the stairs. Delia turned around, gave Serena one last delighted smile, and went back into the kitchen.

Serena took a look around the new house, and pulled out her town map. She sat down on the sofa in the living room and typed up a text message to her mother.

"_Mom, I did what you said, and I'm finally together with Ash. Along my journey across Kalos I learned many things, and became a much more mature woman, I believe._

_Im__ at the Kanto region, and I've met Ash's mom for the first time. Thankfully, she seems to approve, which is a huge relief_.

_If__ it's alright with you, I'm going to stay in Kanto for a while, because I'm going to keep traveling with Ash, see much more of this world, and I'll use my knowledge to make my performance shine_!"

_Pallet__ town seems as serene as I remember it. I bet you'd want to come back here when you retire from Rhyhorn racing_.

_But__ as for me, I'm glad me and Ash can see our dreams through, as we journey with each other. Thank you for working me up to telling him. I really love him, and I want to be by his side forever_.

_L__ove, Serena_"

Serena rested her head back, while observing the ceiling complacently. She heard a loud scream of joy, and then footsteps banging down the stairs. "Mom, you're amazing!" Ash yelled. Serena looked at him curiously - he was holding a master ball.

Serena's eyes popped out. Where did Delia get a master ball from?

She appeared round the corner. "Don't thank me, thank Mr Mime! He found it in Alola, don't really know where, but he did!"

Serena and Ash both sweat dropped, but Ash gave Mr Mime a bear hug. "Cheers, Mr Mime!" He grinned, and then he went back upstairs. Serena looked out the window - it had gotten pretty dark.

* * *

A few days later, Ash came downstairs after a lie in and sat on the sofa next to Serena, who was watching something on TV. "What're you watching?" Ash asked.

Serena giggled. "It's Clemont! They're showing gym leader team battles - Clemont's with Korrina, and they're battling Viola and Grant!"

Ash sat up, and looked at the screen intently. She was right - Luxray was standing next to Mega Lucario, and Viola was in the middle of switching her pokemon. "Go, Vivillon!" she yelled.

Ash looked at Serena. "How's Pallet Town for ya?"

Serena nodded dreamily. "I really love it here. We should go on a walk around here sometime, perhaps have a kiss on the beach in the moonlight..."

Ash's face went scarlet. "R-right..." He muttered. Then he beamed, and got up again."Well, I'm gonna go out and see the gang again, wanna join me?"

Serena smiled. "That sounds pretty cool." she paused. "Oh, Ash?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for everything. I love you."

"I love you too, Serena."

* * *

**And that is that, everybody! I hope you've had as much fun reading as I've had writing. I can safely say that writing this chapter has been my favourite so far. It's been so lovey-dovey - hopefully I can continue to write like that. Because I need to be able to write something that won't turn your attention away.** **So**** thank you all very much for reading this story, but it isn't over yet! Stay tuned and remember to follow if you enjoyed, because Season 2 will be out soon.**

**P.S. I didn't think I'd be talking about this, but I guess I may as well. ****Wow, coronavirus may be a terrible pandemic, but the luck it's given me is unbelievable. My class just ended. My exams? Not gonna happen. That may sound awful, but my teachers are going to make up a 'predicted grade' for us, so we are still able to go to sixth form.**

* * *

**So now, I've just got 11 weeks to do whatever I want. Which means, absolutely zero hiatuses! I can even make some fillers with my free time!**

* * *

**Not only that, but I've got some time actually to myself now, so I can learn programming, work on my metal album, etc, etc. I apologise to those left devastated by the incident, though it has really worked out in my favour. If I catch it, then oh well. I'll probably live it anyway.**


	13. Chapter 13: Just like old times

**Chapter 13: ****Just like old times**

* * *

**Two months**** later**

A scream awoke Serena with a start.

She immediately jumped up out of bed and, rubbing her eyes, she staggered towards the source of the noise.

The front door was left wide open. Serena put on a pair of slippers and went to it, leaving through it.

She hadn't bothered to check the time, but she knew it was still early morning - the sun had barely risen. So what could've made that noise at this hour?

As it turns out, it was none other than her boyfriend, lying facefirst in the mud with a pokemon on top of him.

"Ash?!" Serena ran over to him, and the Pokemon on top of Ash faced Serena, and bowed politely to her. Serena stared quizzically.

"A squirtle wearing sunglasses?" she asked.

The strange squirtle nodded proudly. "Squirtle!" it said.

Ash groaned, lifting his head to face the sky. "I was wondering where you were all this time!" he exclaimed to the blue turtle.

Serena looked slightly taken aback. "Ash, you know this Squirtle?"

"Yep!" he nodded proudly. I caught him! He's just the leader of a firefighter team called the Squirtle Squad, so I left him be so he can follow his dream, you know?"

Serena smiled. "I should've expected that."

However, Squirtle looked at Ash and shook his head. "Squirt, squirtle!" he said, and then he took off his shades.

Ash's eyes widened. "Wait, you aren't part of that anymore?"

Squirtle looked down, dejected. Ash patted him on the head. "Listen buddy." he smiled kindly. "If you've got nowhere to go after this, you can always come back on the road with me and Serena!"

Squirtle looked at Ash with wide, thoughtful eyes. Then he grinned.

"Well, welcome aboard, Squirtle!" Ash shouted, and Squirtle jumped up in the air, ecstatic. "Cmon! Let's go get his Pokeball!" Ash called out to Serena, charging down the path to Professor Oaks lab.

Serena, still in her pyjamas, chased behind him. "Wait, Ash! It's still so early!"

* * *

After an apology for waking up the poor professor and some quick exchanges, Ash got Squirtle's Pokeball back and they went outside to the field.

Surprisingly, Bulbasaur was already up, and pacing around aimlessly. "Hey Bulbasaur!" Ash called. Bulbasaur looked at him and Serena and beamed.

The two met up, and Squirtle reintroduced himself, as did Bulbasaur. Then they both grinned at each other, and went in for a bro-hug.

Serena turned to Ash with a smile on her face. "Ash, you must tell me about them! I'm so curious!"

Ash nodded. "Hey Bulbasaur, Serena and I are going traveling again! We're taking Squirtle, and Pikachu obviously, but how about it!"

Bulbasaur jumped up uncharacteristically for his quiet, serious self. "Bulba!" he agreed, delighted.

"Alright then!" Ash exclaimed, punching the air. He left to get Bulbasaurs pokeball. Soon, they were all ready and Ash headed back home with Squirtle, Bulbasaur and Serena to get Pikachu.

"Hey Mom!" Ash shouted when he walked through the door. "Good morning!"

Delia looked stern as she came down the stairs, deshevelled after just waking up. "Ash, it's still early! You can't just-"

"Sorry!" Ash interrupted. "But we're gonna head off today, so I'm so excited."

"Is that so?" she sighed, with a complacent smile. "Well, at least let me make you breakfast."

"Oh no, you don't have to, I can make it!" Serena reassured her hurriedly. They smiled, and both went into the kitchen while Ash went to find Pikachu. When he returned with the sleepy yellow mouse on his shoulder, the meal was already made.

They ate, and when Ash had finished he looked at Serena. "Hey, do you think you'll stick with your current team for this journey?"

She didn't have to think twice. "Yep! We're gonna learn as a big team, the four of us!" she explained after swallowing a mouthful.

Serena got up, and went to get her hat and Ash and her both slung their backpacks over their shoulders. Ash double checked his bag last time, just to make sure he had everything - he silently confirmed, the food, sleeping bag, tent, and spare pokeballs. Oh, and of course the master ball gift. In his head, he groaned at himself for being so mature.

'_Why can't you just go with the flow like you used to do?_' his rash side told him.

'_Oh, shut up. I gotta take care of myself and Serena now._' his sensible side said irritably.

Delia stood by them. "Well you two go get em! Good luck!"

Serena beamed. "Thank you!" and her Ash and Pikachu left through the front door, and headed down the path Ash knew very familiarly, as it was a common, very peaceful path he and his mom walked frequently when he was a kid headed to Veridian City - Route 1.

Serena and Ash walked side by side down this route, while Ash pointed at various wild pokemon. Eventually, Serena stopped nodding along with him and spoke up.

"Hey Ash, can you... Can you hold my hand..?" She asked sweetly yet slyly, with a cheeky blush on her face.

Ash also went quite red, but nodded. "Yeah yeah, I get it." He grinned. He took his trademark gloves off and clasped Serena's soft, warm hand. The heat shot up his arm and into his brain, causing his blush to deepen. Evidently, Serena's had too.

"Woah Serena, you don't have to hold on so tightly! I'm not going anywhere, you know!"

Serena grinned cheekily. "I've been waiting for this since we first met in Kalos."

Ash shrugged, not wanting to complain about something he knew he enjoyed, and instead basked in her warmth, despite the fact that it was quite hot in Kanto anyway.

* * *

As they entered a small patch of the woods, Bulbasaur and Squirtle yanked Ash's legs back.

"Whoa, what's up?!" Ash demanded, having nearly tripped.

The two pokemon looked agitated, and even Pikachu was staring at the skies intently.

Serena pulled on Ash's shoulder. "Don't you think it's a little too quiet?"

Ash stopped, and glanced around. "Now that you mention it... You're right. it should be bustling with bug and flying types."

He paced around a little. "Hey Pikachu, you recognise this place as well, don't you?"

Pikachu nodded. After all, it had been the first time the two had ever bonded with each other. If it wasn't for that emergency...

"Ash, did something happen here?" Serena asked.

Ash's eyebrows furrowed, as if expecting something to happen.

"Well, it was around this time of year..."

and Ash began to explain the story of how he attacked a Spearow, which evolved into a Fearow and took it's anger issues out on a Pidgey flock. He told her how his Pidgeotto wanted to protect the flock, and evolved into a Pidgeot to chase away the unstable crow.

* * *

"Wow!" she exclaimed when he had finished. "You had a Pidgeot, that's incredible!"

"One of my first pokemon..." he muttered. "She was an awesome friend, and I keep telling myself that's why I let her go."

Serena's eyes widened. "You did what?"

Ash looked down. Even Squirtle, Bulbasaur and Pikachu seemed sombre.

"Pidgeot wanted to make sure the flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto was never attacked by the Fearow, so I just thought it would be for the best, you know what I mean?"

Serena nodded, and gave him a warm hug.

"I just hope Pidgeot hasn't forgotten me..." he continued.

"Well, you definitely did the right thing, so don't worry. I'm certain Pidgeot will always remember you." she reassured him. "Just like how I did, after all those years after camp."

Ash smiled. "Thanks, Seren-"

He was interrupted, however, but a massive gust of wind that almost bowled him right over. Luckily, he managed to keep balanced by ducking low. However, Serena with a slightly slower reaction time wasn't so lucky, and she fell backwards.

Ash dived to catch her, and she landed in his arms. "Serena, are you okay?!" he shouted.

"Yeah, thanks to you..." she responded, brushing herself off. "What was that?!"

The five of them looked up. Two birds soared overhead, and separated from each other mid flight. Then, the large one made a dive and tore headfirst into the other.

"Are they fighting..?" Serena wondered aloud, frowning. If they were, it wasn't any ordinary battle. These two birds were heated, for certain.

Both birds cried out at the same time. Their cried were met with more distant ones. From the horizon, more birds started to trail into the skies above them, until there were two massive flocks face to face with each other.

"Oh no, we gotta stop this!" Ash yelled, and he leapt up a tree. He took a closer look. It was a huge flock of Pallet Town-native Pidgey and Pidgeotto, and the other flock was of Spearow.

At the front of each flock was the final evolution of their respective species - an aggressive-looking Fearow on one side, and on the other, a Pidgeot.

Ash watched the Pidgeot intensely. The chance of a wild Pidgeotto would evolve was definitely an unlikely one, which left him with one possible explanation. One that left him speechless. And there was only one way to find out.

Pidgeot once again stood off against Fearow, and the two collided again, and their flocks like troops all brawled each other. Once again, Pidgeot was knocked backwards; Fearow was just too powerful.

Ash gritted his teeth, and mentally prepared himself to what could go sideways instantly. "Pidgeot, use Wing Attack!"

Pidgeot immediately got back into the air, and its wings shined from the energy of the move, as it once again crashed into Fearow. This time, it was successful. "Yes!" he yelled.

The regal bird took position in front of its army, while the murder led by Fearow circled back at them.

Ash stared at them. "I wonder if Pidgeot heard that I called that move..."

The tribes began to fight once more. They smashed into each other, sustaining wounds, dropping in numbers while Serena and Sylveon gathered the fallen to nurse them all to health as best they could.

They even watched, as Pidgeot took blow after blow from the relentless Fearow, enduring each hit and still protecting its group. But then, the Fearow tackled it from behind, and Pidgeots strength must've given out because it dropped from the sky, losing consciousness.

It took Ash a split second to decide what to do. He ran up and jumped out of the tree, catching Pidgeot in one arm and breaking his fall with the other.

"Pidgey, Pidgeotto, retreat!" he yelled. The Fearow and Spearow group took off after them, but it wouldn't be long before their missing leader - Pidgeot - would put them in danger.

He got up onto his feet, carrying a bird as big as him, and turned to Serena. "We gotta get Pidgeot first aid!"

Serena didn't reply, just nodded at him in complete bewilderment. "Oak's lab!" she said. "Maybe he can help us!"

Ash didn't reply, but just raced back to Pallet Town with Pidgeot in arms and Serena behind him.

* * *

He ran up to the laboratory and slammed his knuckles into the door. "Professor, I need help!"

After only a second, Professor Oak opened the door. "I thought you -" then he saw Pidgeot. "Oh my goodness!"

He led Ash and Serena inside, and showed them to a bed that Ash promptly lay the fallen bird on.

"Ash."

Ash turned to the professor, who was sifting through a medicine cabinet. "Yeah?"

Oak got up with a bottle in hand. "I can hazard a guess as to what happened. Was it a certain Fearow?"

Ash nodded grimly. "Yeah, that's right."

"I should be up front with you right now. That Pidgeot is yours. And that Fearow was the one you fought against five years ago."

Ash's eyes widened, but he nodded again, returning to normal quickly. Even Serena was more shocked by the revelation. "Actually, I figured as much. Pidgeot still leads the Pidgey tribe after all." Ash explained to Serena.

"As for that Fearow," Oak continued, "it occasionally launches attacks, but it never actually brings along its flock."

Ash's eyes narrowed as he and Serena simultaneously shook their heads. "Not this time, then. Fearow had a bunch of Spearow with it."

Oak put a hand on his chin to think. "Hmm... That must be why the Fearow's last attack was so long ago."

Ash balled his fists. "Man, there's gotta be something I can do to help Pidgeot!"

Serena lay a hand on his shoulder. Ash spun to face her - her eyes were calm and empathetic, and he immediately calmed down.

"Is there anything we can do, professor?" Serena asked.

Oak pondered this question for a moment. "Well, I would usually say this is Pidgeot's battle, but that Fearow would never stop either way. The only hope you have... Is to catch it."

Serena looked surprised. Evidently, so was Ash, but he stared at his hands and clenched them. "Well, if that's the only way, I'll do it."

Serena closed his balled fists in her hands. "Ash, if there's any way I can help, you just let me know."

"Actually there is one thing."

Serena tilted her head, beckoning him to continue. "I need you to watch over Pidgeot."

"Leave it to me." she agreed.

* * *

Ash went outside to the patch of woodland in Route 1, Pikachu on his shoulder and Bulbasaur and Squirtle by his side. "Fearow's a tough one, so I'm gonna need all your help for this one." he told them, and they nodded.

Again, it was eerily quiet. Ash paced around, hoping to spot Fearow. However, to his dismay, when he saw the angry bird, it was behind a terrified Pidgey-Pidgeotto flock, and chasing them down.

"Hey, Fearow!" Ash shouted. "I'm the one you're after, not these Pidgey!"

Fearow stopped and turned to him, and after a slight hesitation, swooped in for the attack.

That hesitation was all Ash needed to formulate a plan. "Pikachu, jump on its back!"

Pikachu nodded, and charged up to the pokemon as it dived, deftly flipping onto its back, and held on for dear life when it took off again.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled, and Pikachu obliged, sending huge currents coarsing through the bird - a supereffective hit. However, Fearow didn't stop flying and instead attempted to shake Pikachu off. Ash suddenly felt a bit of déjà vu. This was exactly like the last time he was here. But now, he had experience. He could make a difference this time around.

"Bulbasaur, now it's your turn! Vine Whip, let's go!"

Bulbasaur stepped forward, and as Fearow neared again, shot out two vines from his bulb, which ensnared the bird.

"Okay, keep using Thunderbolt, Pikachu!"

After Pikachu had regained a stable grip on Fearow, he once again shocked the bird as it tried to escape.

However, instead of weakening Fearow, it only became more enraged. It's wings turned a shiny silver, and it thrashed, swiping off the vines and jerking Pikachu right off, causing him to hit the ground.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled. "You okay?!"

Pikachu struggled to his feet.

Ash gritted his teeth. "Fearow's just not giving up!"

He looked up, and saw Fearow circling around. Then, it began to swoop towards the three. Ash's eyes widened as he scooped up his three pokemon in his arms, throwing himself to the ground in an effort to protect them.

To his surprise though, the attack never came.

Instead, he turned his head to the sky, and saw Fearow lying on the ground, and Pidgeot looming above him.

"Ash!" he heard Serena's voice in the distance and turned to face it. She stopped in front of him and pointed at Pidgeot. "She recovered so quick..!" she gasped.

Ash got up to his feet gingerly. He wanted to see his pokemon again, but focused. "Right now, I have a job to do." he thought.

He ran over to Fearow, who was rising to its talons and preparing to take off and retreat.

"Oh no you don't!" Ash shouted. He monkey-climbed up a nearby tree as Fearow began to take off, and fumbled for a pokeball. When he got one, he lobbed it at Fearow.

It hit, and absorbed the pokemon in its red light, hitting the ground.

One shake.

Two.

Three.

Click.

Ash would've smiled if there was anything to celebrate. But he knew that even catching this pokemon that hated him wouldn't change its opinion of him so quickly. But perhaps with good company, it might.

Pidgeot looked at Ash, and was smiling with outstretched wings. Ash's eyes were wide, and then he threw himself into the birds embrace.

"Pidgeot!" he grinned. "It's good to see you, old friend."

Pidgeot only cawed contently in his arms.

Serena stood back, smiling just to see Ash reunited with his old friend.

But then, after a while and the Pidgey flock returned after being called by Pidgeot, Ash sighed. "Pidgeot, I know I promised to come back for you. But I can tell these Pidgey and Pidgeotto are like family to you. If you don't want to leave them, then just know you'll always be my friend no matter what." he said, and forced a smile.

Pidgeot frowned sadly. She turned to the flock she once protected, and they cooed. A Pidgeotto fluttered up to them, and squawked, to show approval. That they could take care of themselves.

Pidgeotto smiled, and let go of Ash. Then, with her beak she reached into Ash's belt and picked up a pokeball.

"Y-you really mean it?" Ash asked. Pidgeot just nodded.

A grin returned to Ash's face and he took the pokeball from Pidgeot before holding it out.

Pidgeot rapped the ball on the head happily, and dissipated into it. The ball didn't even have to shake before it gave the satisfying click.

Ash beamed, placing the ball onto his belt. "Thank you Pidgey and Pidgeotto! And good luck!" he shouted, before they cawed back and flew off.

And so Ash returned to Oak's lab, and gave the professor the Fearow to send out to the other of Ash's pokemon.

"Fearow will learn to control it's anger." Oak said firmly. "Your pokemon have good hearts, and soon, Fearow will pick that goodness up. You wait and see."

Ash thanked him, and finally he and Serena could set off for Veridian City.

* * *

The walk was quite short, but because of how much time they had spent, it was already afternoon when they arrived.

Ash's stared at the city, impressed. "I know it's been a while, but sheesh, this is so much more modern than it was when I first travelled around seven years ago." he muttered.

Serena was quite stunned, as she always was when seeing a new city. They were always so different than the last, and Veridian City seemed too peaceful to be a city - more like a large town. However, there was a lot going on.

"So Serena, the first stop on my list is probably Pewter City, but is there anything you wanted to see before we headed out?"

Serena shrugged, unable to think of anything. "I'm not really sure. Pewter City it is then."

"Cool!" Ash smiled. "Okay, but before we go, let's go buy some lunch."

Serena followed Ash, impressed by how he knew Veridian like the back of his hand. Serena on the other hand, barely left Vaniville Town, and so Lumiose City was the only city she was familiar with, and not to the same extent as Ash.

The two of them went to a food cart and bought a couple of sandwiches before leaving for Pewter City.

The walk was another fairly boring one. Ash couldn't really think of much to say to break the silence.

Finally, Serena spoke up. "So Ash, you told me you would tell me Bulbasaur and Squirtle's stories."

Ash nodded. "Ah, I did, didn't I?"

He plucked two pokeballs off of his belt, and threw them, causing the aforementioned pokemon to appear in front of them.

"Okay, so I first Bulbasaur at this village, and he was very agitated, and seemed to dislike people. However, he saw me fight team Rocket, and I guess he wanted to challenge me, so I battled him alongside Pikachu and caught him. Pretty simple story."

Serena looked at the grass-type. "Wow, I could never expect he would be like that, he seems so calm!"

Ash patted the chipper Bulbasaur. "That's right, he is very calm now. I wonder what happened to change that - though, I guess he does get worked up in a battle, that's for sure."

"So what about Squirtle?"

"Ah, Squirtle's always been cheeky. You see, he used to be the leader of a gang of thug Squirtles."

Serena was shocked, and Squirtle scratched his head, clearly embarrassed.

"Yeah." Ash continued. "Long story short, Squirtle and I were attacked by team rocket, and after I helped him out, he seemed attached to me, so it was for the best in the end."

"No wonder all of your pokemon are so unique." Serena beamed. "You must've seen so much on your previous journeys."

Ash nodded again. "Yep, and it's not over yet! So let's go beat the Pewter Gym!"

"Yeah!" Serena agreed, even if she herself wouldn't be battling. Watching Ash was inspiration enough.

It was barely evening when they left the forest - a shortcut from Veridian to Pewter.

"And here we are!" Ash grinned. "Welcome to Pewter City, and the place I got my first ever gym badge seven years ago. And I'm doing it again!"

Suddenly he sped off down a hill, and Serena chased after him.

"Ash!" she moaned when she caught up with him. "I know you're excited, but wait up!"

"Sorry!" Ash exclaimed. "But check this out! Rock type gym, and where I met one of my closest friends, actually. Too bad I won't be seeing him for a while."

His expression seemed carefree, with nostalgia eminent in his eyes. Serena smiled. "Well, you've come this far. Let's see what Kanto gyms are like!"

Ash stretched his arms and clicked his fingers. "Alright!"

He walked in to enter a room devoid of light. The only visible thing in there was himself, his pokemon, Serena, and a shadow of a person on the other side of the room.

"Hello! I'm here for a gym battle!" he declared.

Dim lights flickered on above him. His eyes darted up, and then back at the shadowy figure.

"I haven't seen a challenger in a long time." He stated, his voice a very low baritone. "This ought to test me a bit. What's your name, challenger?"

"I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town!" he replied.

The gym leaders eyes widened, though Ash couldn't properly see his face. "Ash Ketchum, eh? I remember that name somewhere." he mentioned. "Well Ash, I accept your challenge!"

Serena went off into the gallery seats, to notice they were dusty and unused. A scrawny kid went into the referee's spot, and began to explain the rules.

"Okay, this'll be a two versus two battle, and the battle will be over when both someone's pokemon can't battle! Okay, go!" He muttered hurriedly before sprinting away, so quickly Ash and the Leader barely heard him, though it didn't matter - all they really needed to know were the words 'two versus two.'

"Squirtle, I choose you!"

"Onix, go!"

The two pokemon left their balls and faced off against each other.

Ash smirked. "Squirtle, run and use Water Gun!"

With agile coordination, Squirtle strafed close to the massive snake and sprayed it with a potent jet of water, inflicting quite a bit more damage as it was a rock type.

"Onix, use Bind!"

However, Ash was ready to react. "Okay, jump on!"

Squirtle looked up and saw Onix lurch closer, surprisingly fast for its size. Squirtle bent his legs and leapt up, landing on Onix.

"And now use Skull Bash!"

Onix tried to shake the blue turtle off, but he was too quick for it, and Squirtle deftly ran up Onix's rock body and smashed into it with a hardened, powerful headbutt.

Onix fell down, but got back up. "Are you alright?!", The gym leader shouted, and Onix growled in response. "Then let's go! Catch that Squirtle!"

Onix attempted to use Bind again, but this time, Squirtle didn't move out of the way in time and Onix grabbed him with its signature constrictor.

Squirtle cried out, and tried to wrench himself out of the snake's grasp, but to no avail. Ash grimaced. "Squirtle, use Rapid Spin!" he ordered, and his pokemon withdrew into himself, and began to spin, it's shell knocking into Onix for some damage. However, Onix only tightened it's grasp through the pain, and Squirtle couldn't escape. "Hydro Pump!" shouted Ash, but Squirtle had already fallen out of Onix's grip, collapsing on the ground.

"Squirtle is unable to battle!" the kid declared.

Ash sighed, and recalled the turtle in a flash of red light. "You did so awesome, buddy. Now here, have some rest."

He faced the gym leader again, but didn't say a word when he threw his next pokeball.

Bulbasaur emerged from the ball, taking a battle stance on the dirt field, preparing to fight.

"Okay Bulbasaur, are you ready?" Ash called out. When Bulbasaur grunted a confirmation, Ash grinned. "Okay, Vine Whip!"

Bulbasaur extended a couple of vines and smashed them into the rock snake, knocking it backwards, pained.

"Onix, Rock Tomb!"

"Dodge it!"

Onix summoned and launched some rocks at the bulb pokemon, but with surprising agility, he managed to narrowly avoid the onslaught.

"Okay, Razor Leaf!"

Bulbasaur retreated, opting to fire the sharp leaf projectiles from afar, so that Onix couldn't escape. Eventually, the move overwhelmed the pokemon, and Onix collapsed.

"Onix is unable to battle!"

The gym leader, still shadowed by the dim lighting, recalled his pokemon. It was so dark Ash couldn't even see the red glow, and the next pokeball coming out. "Geodude, go!" he yelled.

"A geodude, huh?" Ash muttered. "Bulbasaur, use Leech Seed!"

Bulbasaur ran up to Geodude and landed a seed on it, which absorbed into the floating rock. However, his trainer didn't see.

"Running up close, are we? Use Tackle, Geodude!"

Geodude complied and crashed hard into Bulbasaur, who maintained his footing despite the damage. Geodude winced severely as the seed slowly sapped at his health.

Ash grinned. "Let's finish this early! Bulbasaur, Solar Beam!"

Bulbasaur gritted his teeth, and began to glow green at the bulb, storing enough solar energy to unleash. However, as Ash knew, this would take a lot of time for the move to come out.

"In that case, we'll just knock you out first!" shouted the gym leader. "Geodude, takedown!"

Geodude rammed Bulbasaur once more, making him stagger back, but not only did Geodude take recoil, it also had him positioned right in front of Bulbasaur, who grinned hugely, it's bulb now shining brightly. Geodude made to escape, but it winced. The gym leader's eyes were wide when he saw the Leech Seed on Geodude's head, sapping away its health. Meanwhile, Bulbasaur was ready to use his ultimate attack.

"Bulbaaa!" The pokemon yelled, as the pent up energy was unleashed, devastating the rock type. When the smoke cleared, it had already fainted.

The referee frowned, but raised a flag. "Geodude is unable to battle, so the winner is Ash Ketchum!"

Ash punched the air happily, as Serena left the viewing stands to celebrate with him. "That was awesome, Ash!" she cried, causing him to grin wide, and Bulbasaur also.

The gym leader walked over to him, and Ash faced him. Then his eyes widened.

"Now I know where I recognise you." The leader beamed.

Ash was incredulous - in front of him was a look-alike of Brock who he had met before; his father, called Flint.. "Hey, it's Brock's father who left home and never came back!" he exclaimed in awe.

However, Serena frowned and slapped him in the back of the head in frustration. "Ash!" she scolded. "That's an awful thing to say!"

Flint winced, but laughed it off. "Oh, don't worry young lady. That's actually what I told him when we first met. But I like to think I've gotten better as a father."

Ash patted him on the back. "That's great then! To be perfectly honest, I still don't know or have even met my own father."

Flint tilted his head. "Wait, really?"

Apparently, Serena was just as shocked. It wasn't surprising - Ash had never spoken a word about his father before. Perhaps it was a sore topic - but to be honest, she came to the realisation that it wasn't any different from her.

Ash shrugged. "Mom's always told me that he went to beat the League, but he could've came and checked on her. It doesn't matter to me, because I don't know him. But he must not be a great person to have left Mom like that."

Serena hugged him sadly. "You know Ash, it's the same for me. Except my Mom's a lot happier without him, so I'm glad I don't know him, to be honest."

Ash furrowed his eyebrows. "But Serena, I couldn't even think for a second about leaving you alone, you know?"

She smiled. "Well, that makes me feel better, at least."

Flint felt slightly uncomfortable. "So, uh, anyway Ash, not to disturb your conversation or anything, but here, as proof of your victory take this Boulder Badge."

He presented a tray with a single, stone shapes badge on it. Ash took it and beamed. "Awesome!" he yelled. "I just got the boulder badge!" Pikachu, Bulbasaur and Squirtle jumped for joy along with him.

"That's one step closer to the Indigo League." Flint told him.

Ash stared at the tray, which actually still had two more items on it. "Um, so I took the badge, but what are those?" he questioned, pointing to the two black spheres left over.

Surprisingly, Serena was the one to answer. "Oh those? Those are Chesto berries, and they're apparently good at curing exhaustion, but-"

Ash stopped listening after she said berries. "Well, don't mind if I do!" he announced, picking up the berries, chucking one to Serena before taking a chunk out of the berry himself. Flint and Serena both looked at him in utter disbelief. However...

"EEUURRGHH!" Ash blurted. "Aaackk, that's so bitter!"

Flint couldn't help but guffaw at the antics. "They were supposed to be to help your pokemon in a tough situation, but oh well..!" he snorted.

Serena sweat dropped, unconsciously putting the second berry in her bag while handing Ash her water flask. He drunk it hastily and noisily. "Oh sheesh..." he murmured. "Thanks, Serena."

He looked at Flint, who had just got over his laughter. "Well, thanks for the battle, Flint!"

Flint waved as he turned back and headed behind the stadium, where his house was. "I'll see you around, Ash!"

* * *

They left the dank gym, and started to wander the city in search for a Pokemon center. "Hey Ash." Serena asked. "So where to now?"

"Well, on my list is Cerulean City. But again, if there was anything you wanted to see, then by all means, go ahead." Ash explained, indifferently.

Serena pondered for a moment. "Well, again, I really don't have anything to do. So let's go to sleep, and then we'll leave for Cerulean City first thing tomorrow."

The two trainers found and went into the Pokemon Center to book a room, got changed, and jumped into bed with each other.

Serena's arms were wrapped tightly around Ash. "I haven't slept like this since Kalos... " she muttered, and Ash grinned.

"I wouldn't mind if we made this a regular thing..." he whispered in her ear, and the girl turned red.

After spending a while talking to each other, they both fell asleep.

* * *

Ash felt something hit him in the chest, but he was too tired to move, so he didn't.

Then again. Perhaps it would go away if he didn't respond.

Suddenly, Ash felt a sharp pain twisting through his bones. "Argh!" he shouted. He recognised the sensation immediately, considering how many times he had been hit by it - Pikachu's Thunderbolt. "What was that for?!"

He opened his eyes, to see Pikachu looking grumpy in front of him. Ash shot up. "Did I oversleep?!"

Pikachu nodded. "Pi, pikachu."

Ash got up, and started pulling off his pyjamas casually, getting changed into his normal gear. "Darn. Serena must already be up and waiting." He threw his cap on hastily. "Okay, let's go."

Pikachu scampered up onto his shoulder and he went into the Pokemon Center's lobby. "Huh? She's not there." Ash said.

He didn't have to worry long however - the doors opened and Serena was behind them. She noticed Ash standing there. "Oh, hey Ash!"

"Hi Serena! Where'd you go?"

Serena pointed at her backpack. "I went and grabbed supplies for the journey! Thought we might need them, you know?"

"Cool!" Ash exclaimed. "Let's head out, then!"

Serena nodded, and followed on after Ash.

Suddenly, she stopped, randomly feeling an overwhelming sense of foreboding. She looked at Ash, who stopped and turned around, concerned. "You okay, Serena? You look worried."

Serena's eyes were narrow and wondering. "I dunno, I just have a bad feeling all of a sudden."

Ash shrugged, and took another step out the door. "Here, just stay close to me and you'll be fi-"

He was cut off, however, when Pikachu yelped, leaping off his shoulder. Ash was about to question it, when he was suddenly hit by a blast of ice cold water ramming into him, smashing his body and pounding him into the floor, directly in front of the center's door.

Serena gasped, horrified. "What the- Ash!"

He got up, absolutely drenched. "Don't worry, I'm okay! But who would do something like that?!"

He looked up, and what he saw was not something you'd expect to see everyday, that's for sure.

A huge blue sea serpent was glaring him dead in the eyes. Gyarados.

Ash tried to yell, completely out of terror, but all he managed was a strangled croak.

A voice petered out from behind the serpent. "Calm down Ash, it's only me!"

Serena rushed to Ash's side, equally bewildered and wondering who the voice was. As it turns out, it belonged to the girl whose pokemon it was.

She had a small frame, but her demeanor demanded respect, as evident by her fiery red hair, placed in a side ponytail. Her eyes were sharp and narrow, and her clothes gave the couple a distinct impression of tomboyishness. Ash recognised this woman immediately after seeing her.

"M-Misty?!" He yelled.

Pikachu, who had dived into Serena's arms to avoid the torrent of water, now jumped back up and leaped onto Misty, ecstatic to see her again.

Misty ruffled Pikachus fur. "Aw, I've missed you too Pikachu!"

Serena spun around to look at her, then back to Ash. "Ash, you know her?"

He nodded, as did Misty. "Yep!" she winked. "Flint told me you were in town and looking for your second gym battle, so I came out to see you!"

"Well, long time no see!" Ash replied. "How long's it been? Three years?"

"That's right." she stopped suddenly, turning to Serena. "So Ash, who's that cute girl you've got wrapped around your arm?"

Ash's eyes widened, and he blushed slightly. "Uh, right, I still gotta introduce you two."

He got up, shivering due to the water clung to his clothes and looked at the two. "So Serena, this is Misty - she's one of the first people I met on my journey, and also the grumpiest person known to ma-"

Misty leapt up and brought a fist down on his head. Serena sweat dropped, and Ash laughed. "Misty, this is Serena, and she's... My, uh, girlfriend."

Misty didn't say a word, looking at Ash, aloof. Then her face broke into a mischievous grin.

"Oh my, my! Ash got a girlfriend!" She said, elbowing him teasingly. "And she's cute, too!"

"Ack, cut it out!" he responded, half-heartedly slapping her arm away, and putting his own on Serena's shoulder, who was blushing furiously.

"Aww, but I never knew anybody would fall for you!" she scoffed, laughing for a solid minute. When she had finally calmed down, she wiped a tear from her eye created by her hysterics. "Whew, but really Ash, I'm so proud of you! As long as you treat her well..."

"Of course I will." he said seriously.

Serena was watching the two catch up, but finally she spoke up. "Ash." she said firmly.

"Huh?"

"I know you're catching up, but you'll also be catching a cold if you don't go and dry off!" she warned.

His eyes widened in realisation. "Right, sorry! I'll be back in a sec, Misty, Serena!"

He darted, dripping, back into the Pokemon Center, leaving the two girls alone. Misty sidled up to a very nervous Serena.

"So how'd you meet that brainless one?" Misty joked, feeling rather sociable.

Serena half chuckled. "Well, we first met at a summer camp when we were kids, and, well, we met each other in the Kalos region last year, and, long story short, he invited me to travel with him, and we started d-dating only a while ago..." she explained, though her voice had started to trail off and become quiet.

Misty patted her gently. "Cmon, there's no need to be shy." she shuffled closer and leaned in to Serena's ear. "You know, he never used to be as nervous as he is. I assume he must really like you." she whispered, and of course it made Serena's face turn crimson.

Though, she was quite glad that Ash's friend approved of her also. It meant she felt less insecure when around him, and her shoulders relaxed, clearly more comfortable with the redhead now. Even if the Gyarados was still looming over the two, if Misty was okay with it, Serena felt no need to be worried.

Misty beamed. "Well, you seem like a great girl, Ash should consider himself lucky!"

"Hehe..." Serena whispered. "Thanks..."

* * *

Ash stumbled out the door minutes later to see the two girls chatting. "Hey, whatcha talking about?"

Misty grinned evilly. "Oh, nothing much, just as many embarrassing stories of you as I can remember."

Ash gaped, and looked at Serena, who was too caught up with giggling to notice his horror. "What?!" he yelled. "You didn't tell her about the Aerodactyl..?"

Serena snorting loudly told him all he needed to know; he sighed in defeat.

"I never knew this side of you, Ash!" Serena told him, still pretty amused from Misty's - true but most likely exaggerated - stories.

Ash grimaced, though he was secretly quite happy to see Serena's smile.

"Hah, he's probably done worse in Hoenn, let's be honest." Misty added.

Ash facepalmed. "Actually, that's probably right. But I have changed, I swear! I don't do dumb things anymore!"

She waved a hand dismissively. "Sure you haven't, Ash. I'll probably get more gossip out of your girlfriend." She said, the emphasis on the word girlfriend never failing to make the boy blush.

"Misty!" he shouted, attempting to change the subject, "Is the Cerulean gym still open?"

She pursed her lips together grumpily. "I closed it after my sisters all ran away to the Alola region and never came back. It gave me the time to wander Johto and catch more water types!"

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Any luck?"

"None at all." she muttered sadly.

"That's not really a surprise..." Ash murmured, but Misty glared at him.

"What did you say?"

Ash backed away from her. "Eh, I said better luck next time! So, uh, can I have a gym battle?"

Misty sighed. "Always straight to the point, aren't you?"

Ash tilted his head confused. "Is that a no?"

Misty shook her head. "Of course not! It's been a long time, and I wanna cream you!"

"Oh, you'll beat me?" Ash scoffed. "Not a chance!"

He turned to Serena, who seemed pretty amused by their banter. "So Serena, in case you're wondering, she's the Cerulean City gym leader, except she wants to be the world's greatest water type trainer."

"That's right!" Misty nodded.

Serena nodded, impressed. "That's pretty cool! But Ash, we aren't in Cerulean City!"

They both shrugged I'm unison. "Oh well, we'll just battle here!" Ash explained, and Misty didn't object.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she exclaimed. "Let's find a field and do this!"

The three of them took off, rushing around Pewter City to find a battlefield. Serena was behind the two hotheads, smiling to herself about the kind of person Ash has become. But according to Misty, he's always been determined and selfless, two traits Serena admired from the bottom of her heart, and there was no way she'd want that to change.

* * *

**Guess that's the end of that chapter and the start of the Kanto arc! Man,** **I realise**** now how difficult it is to coincide amourshipping with a story, so I must warn you - there will be more storyline**, **and I'll try to have as much shippy moments in between as I can.**

**Also, I have to make it clear that the Ash Ketchum in this story will probably be a lot smarter than in the show, for the purposes of his interactions with pokemon, battling, and also Serena of course..! But what I mean by that is that he'd know type matchups, be more aware of battle tactics, recognise things he's seen before, etc.**

**One last thing. Sorry about that big oof at the end with the dad thing. I have three friends who's father's all left them, and they all laugh and joke about that fact. As for me, my parents are awesome. So I haven't a clue what Ash and Serena would feel about such a sore topic like their own rubbish dads.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll see you next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14: Hearing a Performer's Elegy

**Chapter 14: Hearing a performer's elegy**

* * *

Misty, Ash and Serena headed towards the road leading out of Pewter City. "So Ash, Serena! You're headed to Vermilion now, I'm guessing?" Misty asked.

"Yep!" Ash said. "Off to get my next badge-wah!"

Misty had yanked him by the collar, pulling him in closer to say something out of Serena's earshot. "Ash, you'd better take that girl out on a date..! She'd be quite disappointed otherwise!" She hissed in his ear.

Ash grimaced. "Alright, alright!" Then he turned to Serena, once Misty had let go of him. She looked really confused.

"What was that about?"

"Ah, don't worry about it!" Misty dismissed, though Ash had a blatantly startled expression, which made Serena slightly suspicious.

They both said their goodbyes to Misty, who said she'd be travelling to another region soon and was waiting for the airport to open.

"Bye Misty! Stay away from bugs!" Ash called out as they walked away. He stifled a grin when he saw the girl shudder behind him.

"You sure have made some great friends!" Serena remarked gleefully as they were walking.

Ash nodded. "Yeah. They've all got their own dreams and stuff, that's why they started travelling with me. It's awesome, really."

Serena agreed, and Ash decided to take Misty up on her, not so much of a request as an order. "So Serena, we've got plenty of time before my next gym battle, so what do you say we go out somewhere..?"

She beamed, along with quite a bright blush. "I'd love to! But where should we go?"

Ash pondered. Then his eyebrows lowered. "Well, the last time I had this experience, it wasn't the best... But - you know what, let's get to Vermilion City and then I'll show you what I mean."

Serena nodded, now quite curious. They continued walking, generally just watching the forest wildlife as they held hands through the woods until they reached Vermilion City.

"And here we are!" Ash declared loudly. "The gym is over there, but we can go there another time. For now, let's see..." He stared around, while Serena just continued to look at him.

"There it is!" he said, and he led Serena to where he wanted to show her. "Have you ever heard of the S.S. Anne?"

Serena rubbed her temples in thought. "I think I've heard of it before?"

"Basically, the S.S. Anne was a luxury travel liner - said to be completely unsinkable. In fact, I went on it once with Misty and another friend of mine, Brock."

Serena was surprised. "Wow! So is that what you wanted to show me?"

Ash scratched his nose nervously. "Well, no. Not exactly. I was there when the ship sunk." he explained.

Serena cringed. "I thought you said-"

"No, that was Team Rocket who sunk it." he grimaced. Serena sighed, and looked back to the harbour Ash had shown her to.

"It sure would've been nice to see something like that, especially with you Ash."

Ash's eyes wandered from her, and focused on the docks they stood at. "Well... We might still be in luck! Check that out!"

He pointed at a massive cruise ship in the port, and then all of a sudden, he rushed over, leaving Serena to chase after him.

A huge man blocked their path when they had arrived. He turned around, and looked at Ash. "Oi kid, you need a ticket to come on- Ah!"

The man gasped when he saw Ash's face. "Well, I never! Pallet Town's own Ash Ketchum!"

Astonishingly, they had recognised each other. Ash had seen this person before - blonde spiky hair and sharp eyes, not to mention a voice with resonant macho energy. "Lieutenant Surge!" Ash cried. "Long time no see!"

Serena watched, intrigued at the encounter. Obviously for her it was a surprise but the last time Ash had seen the man it had been in the Vermilion gym 7 years ago, when Ash challenged him to a 1 on 1 battle, Ash's Pikachu vs Surge's Raichu. After a crushing loss, Pikachu vowed to get stronger without having to evolve, and they managed to use Pikachus speed to their advantage, winning the gym battle only the next day.

"So Ash, I hate to admit it, but that battle we had all those years ago had really fuelled my own skill! So let's have another one sometime!" Surge stated, grinning.

Ash shared his grin. "I was planning to!" He hesitated. "But actually, do you know where I can buy tickets to go on the cruise?"

Surge winked. "Pfft, this is my vessel, baby! The S.S. Thunder! Feel free to hop on, and you can pay me back with another legendary 1v1!"

Ash couldn't believe it, and he nodded appreciatively. "Thanks a million, Lieutenant! Alright Serena, let's go!"

Serena, who had been perfectly content to stand back and marvel at Ash's spontaneous interaction, nodded a thank you to the burly gym leader before following Ash into the ship.

Unbeknownst to her, Vermilion City's luxury boats only allowed entry for pokémon trainers. A typical way to prove yourself is to have won the City's gym badge.

So when they entered, they immediately ended up staring at an ongoing battle, with two trade machines off in the corner of the room.

"Wow!" Serena gasped. "What a place!" Ash just smiled and looked at the battle - A Victreebel against a Butterfree, locked in a heated battle. After a few seconds, Ash turned away from it, to Serena.

"Basically, this place is like a Pokemon trainer hangout, so it's gonna be full of good trainers and a bunch of activities. So, wanna go see if there's something we can do together?"

Serena nodded. "That sounds great!"

As it turned out, they didn't have to search long. The Victreebel was knocked out when they started to move, and a commentator announced the end of that battle.

"And now, we're having a couples tag battle! May any two perfect pairs that want to face another raise your hand?"

Ash's ears pricked up. "Hey, how about that!"

Serena seemed to affirm his delight, and she put her hand up.

"Ah, here we are! That young pair in the back there!" the commentator pointed at Ash and Serena, who entered the small battlefield.

Another pair joined them - looking rather posh, based on the man's grey suit and the woman's red silk dress.

"Here's to a great battle!" the man said, and Ash agreed, spinning his cap to face backwards, for the first time in years. Serena stared, in half amusement and half amazement.

"Okay Pikachu, you're up!" Ash grinned, and Pikachu did too, leaping off his shoulder in front.

"Go, Sylveon!" Serena called out, and she threw a pokeball in front of her, which opened to reveal her faithful fairy-type friend.

"Wow!" the woman gasped. "A Sylveon! That's a pokemon I've always wanted to see!"

Serena smiled at her awe. The woman tossed her own pokeball. "Go, Flareon!"

The man grabbed his own. "And you too, Vaporeon!"

The two other Eeveelutions entered the field, impressing Serena's own, who looked at them with sparkling eyes. "Sylveon!" she cried.

The other two pokemon beamed back, as if to wish her good luck. Serena smiled. "Okay, let's show them what we're made of!"

"Yeah!" Ash grinned. "Okay Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Cover him with Swift!" Serena commanded.

The two of them rushed ahead, and fired off two powerful moves.

"Dodge it!" The couple yelled, and their pokemon did so, though quite narrowly. "Now you use Hydro Pump!" The man ordered.

"Right back at ya!" Ash shouted, and Pikachu and Vaporeon faced off with an eccentric burst of electricity to smash against a torrent of water.

"Flareon, use Flamethrower!"

"Sylveon, Fairy Wind!"

The Eeveelutions each used their respective moves, colliding in front of each other and causing a massive explosion.

"Vaporeon, Double Edge!"

Vaporeon stopped firing, and swerved past Pikachus Thunderbolt, ramming into him at an incredible pace and sending him flying, as the water-type also staggered back due to the recoil.

"You okay Pikachu?!" Ash asked, and Pikachu nodded. "Okay, new plan! Quick Attack, let's go!"

Pikachu charged at Vaporeon, whose trainer told to fire another Hydro Pump. However, Pikachu deftly ran past him, and attacked Flareon instead with a quick strafe to inflict a heavy blow.

Flareon skidded backwards, and the woman gasped. "Flareon, can you go on?"

The furry dog shook off the hit, and seemed ready to continue. "Use Tackle on Sylveon!"

Flareon charged at Sylveon, and Serena balled a fist, throwing it into the air. "Now!" she yelled.

Sylveon jumped out of the way of the attack. Flareon spun round, attempting to attack Sylveon again. However, Sylveon was jumping about the place, her paws agile, never missing a beat as she skipped and danced out of the way of the opposing fire-type's attack.

The two elder trainers were awestruck. Ash and Serena grinned to each other - if only for a split second, because Ash raised his hand. "Iron Tail!" he shouted.

Pikachu smashed into the dazed Flareon with his tail, this time knocking it over across the ships deck, to which it couldn't get up - and fainted.

"And Flareon is unable to battle, so this match goes to this team on the left!" the commentator said.

Ash was surprised and also somewhat disappointed to find out the battle was over already despite Vaporeon still being able to go on, but he didn't question it. He high fived Serena in victory, but then Serena reached around and gave him a peck on the cheek, causing his cheeks to burn a bright red.

He was stammering profusely, until a voice called out from behind them. "Excuse me!"

They turned around, to see a small man with grey hair in a red suit march up to them.

Ash regained his composure quickly and then answered him with a curious expression. "Huh, yeah? You look kinda familiar."

The man smiled. "Have you ever watched a pokemon contest, young man?"

Ash nodded. Then the penny dropped for him. "Oh, I know you!"

"Yes! My name is Raoul Contesta, and I'm the CEO of the pokemon activities committee, and one of the judges for Pokémon Contests!"

Serena seemed intrigued. "Pokémon Contests?"

Contesta nodded. "Yes, contests. But first, milady." he bowed to Serena. "I saw your battle, and I must say, it was most impressive, especially your teamwork! But then, I recognised you both!"

Ash and Serena both looked surprised, so Contesta continued. "Well, Ash, because I saw you, a well known trainer participate in the Wallace Cup several years ago."

Ash scratched his head. "Well, thanks!"

"And Serena, I recognised you because I saw the latest Kalos Master Class, and your performance there was stunning!"

"That's very kind of you." Serena beamed.

"So the reason I wanted to speak with you two is because seeing you gave me an idea!"

He waited, and then continued. "Serena, how would you like to participate in pokemon contests?"

Ash turned to Serena, who had definitely been taken aback by the offer. "Man, that could be really good for you!" he muttered to her excitedly.

Serena looked at him. "You think so?"

"Well, pokemon contests are a type of event, kinda a lot like showcases, except it's more about showcasing your pokemon and their ability rather than your bond with them. Who knows, maybe it'll give you some good ideas for your performances!" he explained.

Serena glanced back towards the man. "I'd be happy to consider it, Mr Contesta!" she exclaimed finally.

He flashed her a wide smile. "That's what I like to hear! Well then, you can get contest passes at the pokemon center, and I sure hope to see you at Vermilion's contest later this week!" he turned to leave, and started to walk away. "See you later!"

Ash and Serena waved goodbye to him, and then turned back to each other. "So Serena, I actually know quite a few people who are pokemon coordinators."

"Really?"

"Yeah; a couple of 'em are some of my closest friends, to be honest."

Serena seemed impressed. "Wow, that's something! I'd love to meet them!"

Ash stared at the ceiling. "Yeah, I'm sure they'd like to meet you too. It'd be nice to see them again as well. But anyway, about pokemon contests..."

* * *

When Ash had finished explaining to Serena what they were (and also his two experiences in one) she was quite stunned.

"They do sound a lot like Pokemon Showcases!" she exclaimed. "Yeah, I'll definitely give it a go. And you said I need five of these ribbons?"

"That's right." he confirmed. "Five ribbons, and you can compete in a grand festival. I reckon you'll ace it, with all your performing knowledge and obviously your determination."

"Thank you Ash!" she exclaimed, giving him a hug.

They heard an announcer again on a megaphone. "The ship has now set sail and is open! All passengers can feel free to move around and see the ocean, and the rest of the beautiful S.S. Thunder!"

"Alright!" Ash grinned, causing Serena to do the same. "Let's go!"

Now, as Serena was expecting, her boyfriend was immediately attracted the scent of food. They entered a room where he believed the source of the scent was, to see a giant table, with a mighty banquet spread across the top of it.

Ash read the sign on the buffet table: 'ALL YOU CAN EAT FREE'. His eyes shone with delight. "Awesome!!" he cried alongside Pikachu, and ran towards it, sitting down. Serena chuckled to herself before following after him.

They made no waste in stuffing themselves, Serena obviously eating with a lot more etiquette than Ash, who could think of nothing except the food in front of him. It didn't matter though, because Pikachu had already jumped off his shoulder, opened his two other pokeballs and pulled the pokemon food out of Ash's bag (being careful to avoid the half eaten chesto berry for obvious reasons).

When they had finished, Serena faced Ash. "I feel like wandering around, wanna join me?" she asked. Ash nodded, and they left together, subconsciously holding hands as they walked.

As they were walking through another hallway, Ash yawned. "Woah, do you suddenly feel sleepy all of a sudden..?"

Serena shrugged. "Yeah, a little, but it's probably just dehydration. Let's go find a place to get water."

This time, they turned to the room nearest to them, opening the door to see a spectacular light show with a rock band performing on a stage, with a giant row of seats. Again, there was a sign by the entrance that read: 'Pokemon music tours, taking place today'. Serena looked awed, and sat down with Ash once they had found a pair of free seats, which was hard, as the show was already quite packed.

The current rock band had a guy with a blonde-dye mohawk, sporting a leather jacket, flying V guitar and Pikachu facepaint, and his Pikachu was away at the drums, while his Pichu and Raichu were in front with a microphone and bass guitar, respectively. The Pichu didn't really sing, it just made cutely aggressive noises, but the concert (however loud) was enjoyable nonetheless.

After a while, they thanked the audience and left backstage, and the MC took the stage. "Let's give a round of applause to the 'Pika-rockers'!" he briefly paused, for everyone to clap. "And now, our special solo guest, a pokemon who moves wherever the wind takes it, with no trainer to stop it and only one goal in mind - please welcome, the singing Jigglypuff!"

While everybody started clapping again, Ash seemed slightly suspicious. "The singing Jigglypuff, huh..?" he mused.

While Serena hadn't a clue why Ash was so worried, the aforementioned Balloon Pokemon took the stage - a round, pink ball with tiny arms and feet. it walked up close to the microphone, and held up a black object, which looked like a stick from where Ash and Serena was sitting, but on the screen above them which showed the show close up, they saw Jigglypuff holding a black pen, with a large green cap, kind of shaped like a microphone.

Ash cringed. "Oh no!"

Serena stared at him. "What's the matter? That Jigglypuff is adorable!"

"Not adorable, not at all!" he panted. "That Jigglypuff has been searching for years for someone to listen to it's song all the way through - but here's the catch - it's song puts you to sleep!"

"You what?!" Serena gasped.

However, it was already too late. The pink puff had started, and there was no stopping her. "Jigglypuuff, jigglyy, puufff..." she sung, and Ash already found his eyelids drooping.

"I gotta stay awake or she'll draw on my face..." Ash yawned loudly. Serena frantically delved into her bag, and after hearing what Ash said that Puff might do, there was absolutely no way she wanted to fall asleep and have her face covered in permanent marker. But the song had only gone on for ten seconds, and the fatigue slowed her muscles down. In her peripheral vision she saw Ash hit the back of his chair, fast asleep immediately.

Serena wrenched a berry out of her bag, and got up. Jigglypuff saw her, with glowing eyes, and continued to pour her heart into her song.

Serena fell to her knees, exhaustion overwhelming her. With the last remnants of her strength, she, though the revulsion made her queasy, sunk her teeth into the Chesto berry.

The sourness of the berry made her throat sear, and she flinched from the taste. She couldn't consciously swallow it completely, and so the berry barely worked, making her body too tired to move, but her eyes stayed open and her mouth carried on biting into the disgusting berry.

Jigglypuff was now watching Serena with intent eyes. "Puuuff, puuff, Jigglypuuuuuff!"

She ended on a long high note, and even though it was the move Sing, Serena could not deny that the Jigglypuff had a beautiful singing voice. And the passion to perform, a desire to have an audience, was admirable for Serena.

It was over - after a minute of Sing, she had finally finished her song. Serena chewed the last of the Chesto still in her mouth, having to force it down her throat in fear of hurling.

Jigglypuff, meanwhile, was bouncing from chair to chair, angrily scribbling away on as many faces as she saw with their eyes closed.

Serena saw Jigglypuff started scrawling her marker on Ash. "Wait!" she called out.

Jigglypuff turned around, remembering Serena's presence. Then, her balloon body inflated, leaving Serena unsure whether it was due to frustration, or delight. She remembered what Aria had told her.

'_A performer has to always wear a wonderful, radiant smile! That's how you make everyone in your audience happy._"

She gave a kind smile to the puff, who took a step closer. Serena got up from the floor onto her knees, and faced her.

"Hey Jigglypuff, I know you've wanted to find someone to listen to your song..." she started, and Jigglypuff nodded intently. "Listen, I heard your song just now. All the way through, and it was beautiful."

Jigglypuff beamed. "Puff, puff!" she cried, and Serena opened her arms, and Jigglypuff ran into them, albeit slowly, due to its balloon weight.

"But you see, the reason why everyone falls asleep is because you don't know it, but you're using the move Sing!"

she expected this to be like a big revelation to the pink balloon, but instead, she just nodded. "Wait, you know that?"

"Puff, jiggly jigglypuff!"

Serena tried to piece together what she thought she meant. "Are you trying to say you wanted someone to listen to the move?"

Jigglypuff nodded ecstatically, hugging Serena as tightly as her little arms would let her.

"Aww, aren't you such a sweet pokemon... I think it's amazing how passionate you are about singing..."

Strangely, Jigglypuff shook her head again. Now Serena was baffled. "Eh? You just like having an audience?"

Now Puff skipped happily in Serena's lap. Serena beamed, and placed her hand gently on Jigglypuff's head, stroking her playfully.

"Well Jigglypuff, I'm actually a performer myself." she told her softly, and the puff's eyes widened. "That's right, a performer. I know what it's like to perform in front of an audience, and I agree, it's really fun!" she continued, a happy smile blooming on her face, except on Jigglypuff's, it was one of awe. Serena paused, and gathered her confidence. "Well Jigglypuff, I can see that you're a wonderful performer, and if you wanted to perform alongside me, I'd love to have you with us!"

Jigglypuff was starstruck, so Serena carried on. "Yeah, you'll be able to have the audience you always wanted, and together we can show off all your moves, instead of just Sing!"

She pulled out a pokeball, and summoned from it her faithful fox Pokémon, Braixen. "Hey Braixen, let's show Jigglypuff a little performance!"

Braixen gave her a nod, and Jigglypuff took a front seat as Braixen and Serena jumped up onto the stage, to nobody's objection, as they were all sound asleep.

Serena winked to the lone spectator. "Okay Braixen, use Flamethrower!"

Braixen fired a torrent of flames around the stage, lighting the floor, and began to tap her lower two paws, synchronising with Serena's own feet tapping in a jolly dance. "And now Scratch!"

This time, the fox charged towards the fire, and with sharp claws diced them into sparkles, which Serena promptly cartwheeled over.

Serena and Braixen held each other, and spun around the stage with the sparks still evaporating next to them. "Let's finish this with Fire Blast!'

This time, she held her stick to face the ceiling and fired a flaming orange ball, which exploded in five directions and disintegrated into beautiful sparks, making Jigglypuff's eyes glisten with intense amazement. Serena held a hand in the sky. "And that's that!"

Jigglypuff bounced up and down in her chair whilst attempting to clap, to no avail seeing as her arms were too short and stumpy.

Serena jumped off the stage and landed with Braixen in front of the pink puffball.

"So how about it? Does performing look like lots of fun?" she asked with a dazzling grin.

Jigglypuff nodded ecstatically, waiting for Serena to carry on. "Alright then!" she reached into her bag, and pulled out a pokeball, which enlarged in her hand.

"Poké ball... Go!"

She lobbed it into the air, and Jigglypuff inflated herself, using the helium inside her body to float up towards the ball. She reached it when it had gotten to its highest point, and gave the sphere a headbutt, causing it to open and encapsulate her.

The pokeball landed in Serena's hand, and it shook a couple of times before making the fateful clicking noise.

"Alright!!" she yelled joyously. "I've just caught a Jigglypuff!"

She ran around the room, mindful not to trip over any unconscious bodies, hugging Braixen and heading back to where Ash slept with whiskers drawn in magic marker on one side of his face. She snorted, trying to contain her laughter, and shook him to wake him up.

"Guh..." he grunted, his eyelids fluttering open. "And now use Electro ball..."

Then he did wake up, and took in his surroundings. Namely, the fact that everybody asleep around him had tattooed faces, and his self was probably included. "Oh right, that Jigglypuff was singing... I wonder where it went." he grumbled.

"Hey Ash!" Serena said cheerfully.

Ash smiled back, any annoyance now gone. "Oh, hi Serena!" Then he frowned with suspicion. "Wait, you didn't get drawn on?"

Serena wagged her finger, and the pokeball that was still in her hand enlarged. "Nope! And I have good news!"

Ash cocked an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Enough to make up for the permanent ink on my face?"

She grinned and threw the pokeball, revealing the guilty party Ash was talking about.

"Wow, you caught a- waah!"

Serena giggled seeing Ash rear back uneasily. "You see, all this little one ever wanted to do was perform, and so I just told her that I could show her a different way to have an audience!"

Ash smiled, breathing a sigh of relief. "Well, in that case, nice to meet you, Jigglypuff!"

He stuck out his hand, and Jigglypuff took it with her stubby arms and shook, though he ended up just shaking her. It didn't seem to affect the jolly little balloon however, because she just twirled around, while Serena, Braixen and Ash watched happily.

"Stuff like this makes me love you more than ever, you know that?" Ash remarked.

Serena tilted her head, confused.

"Well, despite the fact that I was so scared of that Jigglypuff, you still reached out and even befriended it. That's pretty awesome of you." he finished.

Serena put a hand to her heart. "I couldn't have done it without you, by the way. I could only have stayed awake because of your Chesto berry.

Ash laughed. "Well, glad you learned from my mistakes!"

* * *

Ash and Serena left the boat after it had docked, to notice the sun was barely visible. "Man, it's evening already?" Ash whined.

Serena patted him on the back. "Tomorrow's another day, and that'll be the day you get your third badge!"

Ash fisted the air confidently. "You got that right! And don't forget, you've got your very first contest coming up!"

Serena scratched her head. "Oh yeah... I'm really nervous about-"

She was interrupted by Ash, who gave her a peck on the cheek, making her blush feverishly. "You got nothing to worry about. Just go on and give it your all!"

Serena kissed him back. "Oh Ash, I really love you..!" she muttered, before the two of them walked, holding hands, to the Pokemon Center.

After a while, they got their rooms booked, and went to sleep for the night, both of them eager for tomorrow to arrive.

* * *

**Whew! My favourite recurring wild Pokemon, Jigglypuff. Also one of my favourite characters to play in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. There's no way I couldn't include her - and what better way to have a master performer team with a master(?) singer in time for their first contest? Well, I say that now. I have a feeling I'm going to REALLY struggle writing good performances for the stubby little balloon****.**

**I'm watching Pokemon (2019) and I saw that teaser that showed Ash's rematch with Korrina, showing Mega Evolution is _NOT DEAD_ and most importantly, Korrina remembers Ash. Holy hell, could it be possible? Will Ash actually meet his Kalos friends? Will amourshipping return..? Only time will tell, and my stomach is tightening just thinking about it.**

**Anyway****, thanks for reading, and I'll see you next chapter!**


	15. Chapter 15: Talent, or passion

**Chapter 15: Talent, or passion**

* * *

Ash swung open the doors to the Vermilion gym, which were marked with lightning bolt decals.

"Okay Surge, I'm ready for our battle!" he declared, walking in confidently with Serena behind him.

Surge was sitting down in a chair, already waiting for him. "Ah, finally! I was wondering when youse was gonna show up!"

With a huge hand, he lobbed a pokeball in the air, and the large orange mouse Ash remembered so clearly appeared in a rush of blue light. "Rai, rai!"

Pikachu slid off Ash's shoulder to greet his old acquaintance, both of them clearly showing a lot more respect and maturity than their last encounter many years back.

"Like I said yesterday, you taught us quite a bit back then, and we've changed our style a little! So get ready for that!" Surge boomed.

Ash grinned, radiating courage. "Then let's get this started!"

* * *

Serena took her seat, while Ash and Surge stood in their edges of the battlefield, as the black-clad referee went to deliver the rules. "This gym battle is about to begin! Each trainer will use one pokemon; the gym leader, Surge, is using Raichu, and the challenger, Ash, with Pikachu."

Serena watched curiously. "_So, Ash has fought him once before as well... I wonder what that would've been like._"

Pikachu and Raichu stared each other down for several seconds, then when the bell rung, they simutaneously leapt towards each other.

"Just like last time!" Ash called out. "Quick Attack!"

Surge wagged a finger arrogantly. "Take Down!"

Pikachu ran past Raichu, and tried to circle back, but to his and Ash's surprise, the Raichu was gaining on him.

"Like I said, we learned, see?" Surge yelled. "Do it, Raichu!"

Raichu took a huge leap towards Pikachu, and crashed into him, hard, making the yellow mouse yelp and fall down. "Oh no!" Ash cried.

"Body Slam, lets go!"

Raichu again threw himself towards Pikachu, who recovered quickly and rolled away to the side, leaving Raichu to hit the ground. "Alright, Iron Tail!"

As Raichu was getting up, Pikachu thrust a tail at him, sending him crashing back on the ground. Surge grimaced.

"Raichu, use Mega Kick!" he yelled.

Pikachu, you use Iron Tail!" Ash yelled.

The two electric types darted at each other, and they collided, causing rippling shockwaves when they smashed into each other, tail against foot. Eventually, the power overcame them both, and they were sent flying backwards, although both pokemon landed on all fours.

"Take Down!"

"Quick Attack!"

Again, the two of them got up, refusing to throw the towel just yet. However, at the same time, before they could move, they flinched in unison and collapsed.

Surge glared hard at his Raichu. "Hey Raichu, what's up?"

However, Ash saw the sparks his partner was overwhelmed by. "Hold up, Surge, both Pikachu and Raichu have static! I bet that's what just happened!"

Surge looked incredulous. "That's insane!"

However, Ash grimaced. With agility being Pikachu's best counter towards Raichu, paralysis, even if both of them had it, would put Pikachu at the biggest disadvantage.

Clearly, Surge had realised this too, because he was grinning cockily. "Well then, Raichu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachu, Electro Ball!" Ash shouted.

The bolt of electricity came at Pikachu quickly, who blocked it with Electro Ball. However, after a rough collision, the Thunderbolt pierced the ball and struck Pikachu, delivering a lot of damage, despite the type matchup. Ash focused, trying to think of what to do in this situation.

Suddenly a brainwave hit him. "Hey Pikachu! Get onto your tail!"

Pikachu staggered back onto his paws, understanding what Ash meant by this - just like he did to win against the Raichu last time, he summoned his strength into his tail and lifted his body weight onto it.

"Not this again!" Surge growled. "Raichu, get close and use Body Slam!"

Raichu obliged, but as he moved in for the final blow, his body smarted from the static paralysis.

Ash punched the air. "Now Pikachu! Iron Tail!"

Pikachu spun in midair, and this time, his tail glowed silver and he launched the fatal hit onto Raichu's vulnerable head, causing the ground to shake from the pressure of it.

Surge's eyes widened as the smoke cleared. Raichu was unconscious.

The referee stuck a flag into the air, and rung a knockout bell. "Raichu is unable to battle, so Pikachu and Ash are the victors!"

Ash punched the air in delight, as Serena leapt off the railings to join him. "Ash, nice one!" she shouted, running to him.

Ash hugged her, and then turned to see Surge, who had just returned his Raichu and was walking over to him. "Man, I'm even more impressed now than before!" Surge laughed. "Well, ya did it again. Proving to me that strength isn't everything!" He laid a massive hand on Pikachu's head, patting it softly. "Well done, you two."

Grinning, Ash faced the gym leader. "Thanks, Surge."

"You can thank me after I give ya this!" Surge said, yanking a box out of his pocket. "The Thunder Badge, as proof of yer victory! I bet yer tryna to beat the league again?"

"That's right." Ash nodded.

"Well, go and beat it for me then, will ya! And don't forget, Vermillion City's always gotta nice boat cruise anytime you and yer girlfriend want to have a little alone time!" He winked. Serena and Ash simutaneously blushed.

"How did you know-" Ash began, but Surge stopped him.

"Nah, it's obvious! Anyway, have fun travelling!"

Ash beamed, and taking Serena's hand in his own, they left the imposing gym building and started to walk back to the Pokemon Center, for some rest.

* * *

The next morning began just the same as any others - waking up in a pokemon center, getting dressed, eating and getting some early training with their Pokemon. More specifically, Serena and Ash sitting outside, looking at Serena's team of five. Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, Popstar and Jigglypuff.

"I wanted to use Popstar for the first round of the contest," Serena thought aloud, though then she turned to her dressed-up Pikachu. "But do you think you can do it?

The Pikachu spun elegantly, as if to confirm Serena's question, and she smiled, so the performer did too.

"Great!" Serena said. "Let's do this together then!"

Ash smiled, as his own Pikachu sat next to him, watching the two plan their routine. Occasionally, he would give them pointers, on how a contest was different to a performance.

* * *

About an hour later, the alarm went on Serena's map-tablet, and so they left to head to the contest.

"Okay Serena," Ash started, turning to her, as she looked back at him. "Now it's your turn, and first contest!"

Serena scratched the back of her head, chuckling nervously. "Y-yeah!" she took a deep breath in. "Can't turn back now..!"

Ash laid a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it, you'll do great!"

Then his eyes widened, as a grin bloomed over his face. "You know what? I'll be back in a bit!"

He took off, leaving Serena to stand before the contest hall, utterly bewildered.

* * *

Ash returned five minutes later, with a box in his hand. "Sorry, I'm back! I just had a brilliant idea!"

Serena narrowed her eyes at him. "Alright, lay it on me. What was it?"

Ash opened the box, revealing a contest pass. "It was pretty easy, considering Nurse Joy has seen me do it once before a while back, but heck, I may as well join in, show you the ropes and stuff!"

Serena gazed at him incredulously. "Oh Ash, you didn't have to do that!" she cried, beaming. Ash scratched his nose, grinning.

"Oh, I did, just because it's you." He muttered, giving her a hug. Serena blushed and returned the warm embrace. Then, they turned to the hall. "Let's do this!" Ash announced, and they went in.

* * *

After they had signed up for the contest, the two of them were led into the changing rooms, where they proceeded to get into their respective outfits. Serena wore her furisode dress from Valerie, and Ash into the same green tuxedo he went out with Serena with.

They met up with each other in the waiting lobby, passing the other coordinators who were talking with friends, trying to psyche their pokemon up, etc.

The two saw each other and chuckled quietly. "You're really going for it, aren't you?" Serena commented.

Ash laughed and scratched his cheek. "Well, this is my first time competing in years. I'm just aiming to not wash out on the tryouts."

"Tryouts?" Serena questioned.

Ash's eyes widened. "Oh right. So there are two tiers in a contest, bit like a showcase. The tryouts are like freestyle rounds, except you show off your pokemon specifically. Remember, creativity is everything." he paused, and smiled. "And then, my favourite time, the battle rounds! A tournament is set up for those who qualify, and they have special 'contest battles' where you have to battle with your pokemon, but while doing so I guess be as coordinated as you can, to win points as you fight."

Serena nodded, having listened intently. "I think I get it. Thanks Ash, that was really helpful."

Ash grinned hugely. "Don't mention it."

Soon, an announcers voice registered on the loudspeaker. "Can, uh, Ash Ketchum please come to the stage?"

Ash took one last look at Serena, who nodded to him, and so he ran off, ready to go.

* * *

"And here we have Ash Ketchum!" a commentator declared. Ash looked over to see another familiar face, Lilian, a very energetic woman who always got the audience pumped for the oncoming show. "Not a very familiar face in the contest hall, but a semifinalist of the Indigo League a long time ago, and recently the winner of the Lumiose Conference! You can be sure to expect a strong performance from this young one!"

Ash waved to the cheering audience, and gripped a pokeball in his hand. "Okay, go Squirtle!" he called, throwing the ball.

The blue turtle flew out of the ball, spinning stylishly from his shell. He looked confused to be in a stadium with spectators, but Ash just gave him an apologetic glance. "Bear with me, buddy. Okay, use Rapid Spin!"

Squirtle nodded, and withdrew into his shell, taking off into the sky and making the audience gasp, impressed. "Now use Hydro Pump!"

From the gaps in Squirtle's shell came torrents of water, gushing down onto the floor and sweeping back up, which Squirtle dropped down onto, sliding elegantly on the water like a surfer. Squirtle took off out of his shell, and spread out like a star, posing for the crowd as he fell back down to the ground, landing with a thud.

Contesta smiled. "What an impressive show of moves!"

"Quite remarkable indeed!" agreed the other judge, named Mr Sukizo.

"Yes, I must say, he really showed the power and coordination of that Squirtle." Nurse Joy remarked. Ash and Squirtle waved to the audience before leaving, as the three of them delivered his score - a 9, 7 and 7 to make 23.

Some other acts passed after Ash, including a girl and her goldeen and another girl with a dratini. Soon, it was Serena's turn.

Ash was with her after his round had finished, and he gave her a reassuring pat on the back. "You got this in the bag. Just give them the best you have." he told her. Serena beamed, nodding.

After clutching Popstar's pokeball in her hand, she left towards the main stage.

* * *

"And our last trainer for this round is a performer from the Kalos region, who has come to try her hand at contests!" Lilian said. "Please welcome Serena and her Pikachu!"

Serena and Popstar stepped onto the stage, a wide open space which truly allowed her to show off everything that showcases had taught them.

Serena decided, it would be best to stick with what they know, and treat the audience to a dose of her Kalos performance. However, it would be only Popstar doing the performance.

Serena looked over at her little dressed-up mouse, who pumped her fists as a boost of courage. "Okay then Popstar, let's do this! Volt Tackle!"

Popstar fell forward onto all fours, and took off, surrounding herself in a rush of electricity. She raced past the judges booth and past Lilian, zigzagging and jumping, while the golden light from the electricity trailed behind her.

"Now Iron Tail on the ground!" shouted Serena enthusiastically.

Popstar then slowed down, and her tail shone silver, the tip of her tail rounded rather than jagged to distinguish her gender. She smashed this tip into the ground, sending herself flying into the air, causing chunks of the ground to come loose due to the force of the move and fly up with her.

"Finish with Discharge!" Serena commanded, and Popstar once again started to glow with golden electricity. The energy built up to breaking point, and she sent it out, and it hit the falling rocks, shattering them into glowing sparks.

Popstar landed on all fours next to her trainer, and the glistening sparks began to rain down on them, as the audience cheered with delight.

Contesta even clapped. "What a marvelous show of what performing is like in the Kalos region!"

Sukizo and Nurse Joy couldn't agree more. They gave their results after Serena had left - a 9 and two 8s to score 25.

* * *

Ash stuck his hand out to high five the girl when she returned. "Awesome, Serena! I just knew you'd nail it!"

"Oh thank you, Ash." Serena blushed.

They didn't really have much time for talking, however, because Lilian had already began speaking again. "And after a brilliant first round, we have chosen the coordinators moving onto the next one!"

Sixteen faces flashed onscreen. One of them was Ash's, and another one was Serena.

They both simultaneously punched the air. "Nice!" Ash yelled. "Let's do our best!"

"Yeah!" Serena agreed.

They were placed into their tournament brackets, eight separate one on one battles which the winners fought four more, and so on.

Ash grinned confidently. "Well, looks like we'll be meeting each other in the finals!"

He pointed to the screen, which displayed the brackets, and they were far apart from each other, meaning that they would have to.

* * *

Ash's battle came first. He looked at his opponent, an unusually small girl, yet she seemed confident in spite of her size.

She stared back at Ash, as if to analyse his eyes. She didn't say a word, but flashed him a cheeky grin before tossing a pokeball upwards. "Clefable, come on out!"

A pink pokemon with a carefree look in its eyes landed next to the girl, showing itself to be slightly taller than it's trainer, and waved at the audience.

Ash turned to his partner. "Okay Pikachu, your turn!"

Pikachu grinned, and leapt off Ash's shoulder, taking a stance before the Clefable. Ash and the girl's faces appeared next to a timer and two separate scoreboards. "Let the contest battle begin!" announced Lilian.

Ash was quick to get started. "Pikachu, use Electro Ball!"

Pikachu nodded, and rose his tail into the air, summoning a sphere of bright electricity which he fired at Clefable. However, the pink fairy merely sidestepped with uncanny agility.

Ash's eyes narrowed. "Okay then, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu nodded, and shot a bolt of lightning at Clefable, which this time managed to hit its target, costing the girl some of her points. She didn't waver, however, and instead nodded to Clefable, who stood it's ground. "Use Moonblast!" she cried, and Clefable obliged, leaping up and preparing a ball of pink energy, which she threw at Pikachu.

Ash focused intently on the girl. She was planning something, no doubt about that. "Iron Tail, now!"

Pikachu jumped towards the attack, and with a shining silver tail, sliced at the move, disintegrating it. The girls point bar again lost a chunk, but she didn't seem particularly worried. In fact, she grinned. "Clefable, use Encore!"

Clefable clapped it's small palms together, and Pikachu began to stop and look around, to Ash's surprise. "You okay, Pikachu?" he called out.

"Pika!" the lightning mouse replied as confirmation.

Ash noticed that Pikachu was beaming unexpectedly. Suddenly, he felt worried. Something was wrong here. "Then use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu nodded, but the thunder never came. Instead, his tail shone silver, and he smacked it at Clefable, though missing by a long shot and causing Ash's points to decrease.

Ash gasped. "Wait what?!"

Lilian was quick to explain to the crowd, and to Ash. "Looks like that Encore by Lucia's Clefable was a great success! Now what will Ash do now that Pikachu can only use Iron Tail?"

Ash grimaced. "Got it. So that's what Encore does." He looked at Pikachu, who still looked cheerful despite losing points. "Hey Pikachu, get back!"

"No you don't!" the girl, Lucia, snarled. "Clefable, use Copycat!"

Her pokemon dashed towards Pikachu, who attempted to dodge, yet Clefable, even though it didn't even have a tail, used Iron Tail on the electric type and dealing quite a bit of damage, not mention draining their points. And that wasn't all.

"Only thirty seconds left, and points are very close but looking to be in Lucia's favour! Will Ash make a comeback, or will it stay like this?"

Lucia smiled as if she'd already won, yet Ash wasn't finished. "Pikachu, spin around Clefable!"

Pikachu did so, sprinting at Clefable but moving to the side, careful not to step too close making him vulnerable to an attack.

This put the littler coordinator on edge. "Huh? Use Copycat then!"

Clefable responded by running at Pikachu again. "Now jump!" urged Ash.

Pikachu leapt into the air, the missed move costing Lucia a few points.

Ash grinned. "Great, now use-"

However, he was interrupted by a bell ring. "And that is time!" Lilian announced. "Congratulations to Lucia for the win!"

Ash groaned. "Darn it!" but he smiled, nonetheless, moving forward to collect Pikachu and shake his competitors hand.

* * *

"I was close, but I couldn't cut it." he sighed to Serena. "But contests sure are fun!"

She smiled. "I agree. And don't worry. I'll be sure to win this thing!"

Ash patted her on the back, and came in for a hug. "That's what I like to hear, Serena! You go for it, I believe in you 100 percent!"

She smiled and picked up a pokeball, opening it. Inside, was her recently caught Jigglypuff. She came out of the ball, and smiled back at Serena. "Puff, puff!"

"Hey Jigglypuff, let's win this contest together!"

Jigglypuff grinned, and spun around on the spot, putting a hand in the air to stop herself into a pose. Clearly, very confident.

* * *

Serena then went into her first battle, and won against a male coordinator, then in the second and third round, she won again, putting her up against Lucia in the final round.

Clefable, however, did not match up well with the floaty Jigglypuff, who managed to stay far enough out of reach, and Jigglypuff pulled off one trick where she used Sing in the air, directly above Clefable, putting it and it's trainer to sleep and with that, gave Serena her first contest win.

Mr Contesta handed her a small ribbon. "Take this - the Vermilion ribbon, which is one of five steps to competing at the grand festival, young lady. Congratulations."

She beamed gratefully. "Thank you so much!"

After the cheering was over, she met up again with Ash in the lobby. "Awesome!" he yelled. "I knew you could do it!"

Jigglypuff floated onto Serena's head, making Ash jump but he had already gotten used to her presence by now. "You did great too, Jigglypuff."

"So Ash, how about we go celebrate?" she smirked, embracing him.

The boy blushed and laughed. "You're really something else, aren't you?"

She giggled. "Well?"

Ash stopped her with a kiss on the lips. "Anything for you, Serena."

* * *

**Man, writing lovey stuff is so damn hard! Why am I struggling so much with this..?**

**I just started watching the Sun and Moon anime again (which I think I dropped at episode 5 back in 2017) and now that my uncanny love for XY has subsided, I can really appreciate that it is decent. Well, I still think XY is better, but I can live with SM now.** **Anyway****, thanks for reading as always!**


	16. Chapter 16: Love Finds a Way

**Chapter 16: Love finds a way.**

* * *

Ash stared at the landscape before him. He stood on a cliffside overlooking a settlement, and expected to see a town bathing in light purple hue, but there was nothing. He sighed.

"Guess it's too foggy to see Lavender Town from here." he said to Serena.

She didn't look too bothered. "Oh well, let's just go and see it firsthand then!"

Ash agreed to this, and so they headed down the hill and into the mist. "Hold onto me, okay?" he told her, and she obliged, linking her arm with his so as to not get separated from her boyfriend.

After several minutes of walking, they arrived. Ash smiled. "Man, this place is much better in the daylight!"

Serena seemed confused by this random remark. "Daylight? What do you mean?"

"I went here once before. Not gonna lie, it's pretty scary at night." he explained.

"You, scared? That's quite a surprise."

"I sure was. See that tower over there?" he pointed to the massive tower, and she nodded. "It's called Pokemon Tower. Apparently it's a graveyard for departed pokemon, so that means plenty of ghosts..!"

Serena flinched, hugging Ash tighter, which he responded to with a chuckle. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere you know!"

"You didn't have to mention the 'ghosts' part..!" she reprimanded him while pouting.

Ash grinned again, this time more sheepishly. "Heh.. Sorry. Ahem, follow me."

He lead Serena through the town to the Pokemon Center, where they healed their pokemon.

After spending around an hour in the waiting room, Pikachu returned, along with two trays, carrying two and five pokeballs. Ash and Serena picked up their respective plates whilst thanking Nurse Joy.

"You're very welcome!" she replied with a trademark smile. "Say, are you new to this town?"

They both nodded as a reply, so she continued. "I suggest you should visit the Pokemon House before you leave."

Ash smiled, tucking the pokeballs back on his belt holster. "Oh, I've been meaning to, actually. Whaddaya say, Serena?"

"Yeah, sure!" she replied.

They left shortly. "So, Nurse Joy gave us directions... Oh, it's just around the corner." Ash muttered.

He followed the path he had been told to, until they reached a large detached house nearby the imposing Pokémon Tower. A sign by the door read 'Pokemon House: Home of orphaned pokemon."

Ash knocked twice, and then the two of them entered. They faced an empty hall, but a face appeared behind a door on the opposite end of the room. "Hello!" she said, coming out of the door, revealing a slender body and auburn hair in two loose pigtails. The woman looked young but still a lot older than the couple, and her expression was relaxed and kindhearted. "Welcome to the Pokemon House!"

"Thanks! Uh, my name's Ash, and this is my partner Pikachu!" he greeted, pointing at the yellow mouse on his shoulder, who chirruped happily to the friendly face.

"And I'm Serena, nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too!" the woman beamed. "My name is Reina. Follow me and I'll show you all the pokemon."

Ash and Serena went on after her into the room she had entered from, to see a large space with many small pens. In them, some people, kids and adults alike, were playing with small pokemon, such as a Meowth, an Oddish, and more.

They walked past them, gazing intently at each little pokemon. "You see, when I was only a girl my grandpa built this house to shelter abandoned or orphaned pokemon, and I guess I followed in his footsteps."

The pair stayed silent, taking in their surroundings and what Reina was saying.

"I can't believe there are so many abandoned pokemon..." Serena murmured. Ash again didn't say anything; after all, he has seen that side of people previously, but knew Serena had not.

Reina spoke for him. "Unfortunately, it's true." she grimaced. "Some people treat pokemon like tools or accessories, and so here we are."

Serena frowned heavily, so much so her fists tightened. "That's so cruel..."

Ash patted her on the back soothingly, and brought her attention to something else he saw, hiding in the corner of a playpen. "Wow, an Abra!" he whispered.

Reina looked solemn. "Yeah... Actually, that Abra's afraid of people, so I have to ask my pokemon to take care of it to stop it from teleporting away." she said sadly. However, she took a pokeball from her pocket, and it opened, ejecting a surge of blue light into Abra's pen. The light subsided, revealing a little brown pokemon. A Marowak.

Marowak paced over to Abra, who perked up significantly, and the two started to play catch with a bone.

Ash smiled, and looked at Pikachu. "Hey buddy, why don't you go and say hi to Abra for me? I don't wanna scare it off."

Pikachu nodded, and leapt off of Ash, hopping into Abra's playpen. "Pikachu!" he squeaked.

Abra looked delighted to see another friendly non-human face, and they continued their game, with Pikachu as well.

Ash and Serena smiled kindly, causing Reina too as well. "So Reina, do these Pokemon get adopted or returned to the wild?" Ash asked.

She pondered it for a moment. "Well, it depends. Usually, we'd let them be free to roam the wild but sometimes, these little ones take a liking to the volunteers here, and if the volunteer agrees, then they go along with them. That's pretty much how it goes."

Ash nodded, and return to watching Abra.

Serena was staring hard at the small fighting type, who was happily jumping around Pikachu. Eventually, she reached into her bag. "Perhaps the first step," she began, "is allowing it to trust people."

She pulled out a tin from her bag, and set it down in the pen. Abra reared back, but she opened the lid, revealing a large array of her own homemade Pokepuffs.

"Oh wow!" Reina gasped.

"Yeah, Serena's also amazing at baking!" Ash explained proudly, causing his girlfriend to blush. "Abra's sure to love this."

Serena took three Pokepuffs in her hands, and Pikachu and Marowak each took one and ate one, their eyes gleaming to show their delight.

Abra stared at Serena's full hand. It glared, unsure, then finally took the puff gingerly, and bit into it. Then it's mouth curved into a huge smile. "Abra, Abra!"

Serena beamed. "Glad you like it! Feel free to help yourself!"

* * *

After a few hours of playing with the pokemon (bar the timid Abra), Ash's gaze fell to the window, and his eyes widened. "Man, I can't believe its this late already!"

Reina smiled. "Ah, I bet you came here to visit the Pokemon Tower."

Ash nodded. "Yeah, that's right."

"Here." she said, walking to a shelf and giving him a petite bouquet of flowers. He looked at them in awe. "I've wanted to visit the tower, but ever since a certain incident when I was younger, I was always too afraid to. Give my respects to a late Marowak for me, please."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Incident?"

Reina screwed her face up. "Yeah..." she muttered. "When I was only a girl, Team Rocket attacked this town and tried to set up a base here. They turned the ghost pokemon in the tower against us, and only thanks to a certain trainer we could kick them out." Her eyebrows lowered as she glared at Ash. "A trainer who actually looks a lot like you."

That statement took Ash by surprise. "Looks like me..? Must just be a coincidence." he shrugged.

"Anyway, Team Rocket do keep trying to attack now and then, but they're not strong enough to do any harm nowawdays.

Serena came out of the door behind them, looking sad. "I don't want to leave..."

Reina patted her on the back. "It's okay, if you ever want to come back here then you're most welcome to!"

The couple smiled, and waved goodbye, leaving through the door.

"Next up, before it gets too dark, I wanted to check out the Pokemon Tower."

Serena shuddered. "That creepy tower? What for?"

Ash chuckled. "Well, it is known as the gravesite for all pokemon, so I thought I'd go and pay my respects, y'know?"

"Well in that case, let's go." she nodded.

* * *

They walked to the tower, and entered through the front door. It was pitch black when the door closed behind them, but with quick thinking Serena pulled out a pokeball and threw it, and Braixen appeared.

"Braixen, could you give us some light?" she asked.

Braixen obliged and breathed fire on her trusty twig, which served as a nice torch, illuminating the dim area.

"Phew." Ash sighed. "Thanks, Serena, Braixen."

"That's okay, but I really don't like this place."

Ash went over and gave her a cuddle. "It's okay, I won't be long."

He moved forward, and turned back to Serena. "Listen, you stay here. Last time I went here it got terrifying further up. I'm just gonna find that Marowak grave Reina was telling me about, pray for some pokemon that I met, and then we can leave. Sound good?"

Serena clasped her hands together. "Okay... You stay safe, okay?"

"No sweat! I'll be done in no time!" Ash grinned, and he took off up the staircase.

Serena found a chair in the room and sat down to wait.

Several minutes passed in eerie silence. She fidgeted uncomfortably, and Braixen looked at her in concern. "He said he'd be back soon..." she griped worriedly.

After another while, she couldn't take waiting. "That's it, I'm gonna go find him!" she said, and got up. She headed to the stairs with Braixen following closely, and they started to ascend.

On that second floor, she then saw the graveyard Ash and Reina were mentioning. Little carved stones rested in neat rows and columns down the two sides of the path she walked. But still no sign of Ash.

"Oh boy, he must be further-" she started, but was cut off, by the sound of a chilling scream.

Her blood ran cold in her veins. That was Ash's voice.

Immediately and without thinking, she broke into a run, bolting up the flights of stairs. "Ash!!" she screamed. "Are you okay?!"

No reply. A sense of dread washed over her, and she ran to the next flight of stairs. Rinse, and repeat, fear building up inside of her. However, when she reached the highest floor, she arrived at a terrifying conclusion.

There was no sign of Ash anywhere.

She called out for him again, as did Braixen, but to no avail. The boy she loved and journeyed with, vanished without a trace inside a mysterious tower.

Without thinking, she took off back down the tower, hoping to see Ash, but unfortunately, that wasn't going to be the case. After reaching the bottom of the tower, she wrenched the door open and then returned Braixen, before sprinting out.

She ran around the corner, and arrived at the Pokemon House, to which she saw some people leaving; after all, it was evening. She went inside, and saw Reina cleaning, but she turned when she saw Serena.

"Are you alright?" she asked, concerned. "You look panicked."

Serena stopped to regain her breath, then explained the situation to her. "Reina, when we went into the tower Ash just disappeared!"

Her eyes widened. "Disappeared..? Oh no, how far up did you two go?!"

Serena bit her lip. "I stayed on the first floor, but he went up alone, and then that's when he-" her voice trailed off as she fought to contain tears.

Reina wrapped her arms around the girl to comfort her. "Listen, as far as I can tell, he's not in any mortal danger. But you have to find him. And I'll help-"

"No, it's okay." Serena said. "I know you don't want to go in there. Just tell me everything you know so I can find him."

"Okay." she replied morosely. "So that tower is home to lots of ghost types, and usually they're all harmless, occasionally scaring the odd townsfolk but actually quite helpful, and they keep the gravesite tidy. However, a bunch of people reported that the ghost pokemon were attacking them, so not many people went inside."

Serena rubbed her temples, as she began to figure out what was going on with this situation. Friendly pokemon gone aggressive, Ash's disappearance...

"_Those pokemon want something._" she concluded. "_But what..?_"

"Thanks for the help, Reina." she exclaimed aloud, making to leave.

Reina bowed her head. "I'm sorry I can't be more helpful..."

"Don't worry, I'll find him." Serena said, before heading out through the door, headed back towards the tower of terror.

However, what she didn't realise, was that there was a certain Abra watching her conversation with Reina, who then followed her to the tower.

* * *

She went back in, and the door closed behind her. She wandered around the ground floor, which branched into two different rooms. She checked each one - a fancy antique dining hall and what seemed like a storage room with nothing but stacked furniture inside.

"_Someone used to live in this creepy tower..?_" She wondered to herself, going inside the storage room. She noticed a hole in the floor, with a ladder leading down into the depths below. "_If Ash wasn't on a higher floor, he must be here._"

So Serena prepared to steel herself to go down, and face whatever was stopping her from being with Ash. She shook out the fear from her mind, and placed her feet carefully on the ladder, and climbed down.

It was a long journey to the bottom, and she took it slow so as to not hurt herself.

One step. Then another. One after the other

All of a sudden, she heard a crunch by her foot, and then felt herself slip and fall, not to great a distance but enough to graze herself. She got up once more and dusted herself off, to realise it was pitch black all around her.

She groaned, fumbling for Braixen's pokeball, and pressed its central button to enlarge it. However, it didn't work.

She tried it again. No response.

"Why isn't this working.?!" she thought aloud, frantic for Braixen's fire to dispel her almost phobia. After trying the button once more, she gave up, and started to pace around the room, looking for a light source or just to gain her bearings.

"Ash?" she called out, hoping for a response. It had been nearly an hour now that he had went missing, and she hoped he had woken up by now.

Serena felt something cold and round in her hand. A doorknob. She gripped it, then pulled - the door open, and she stumbled through it, to find light at last. A very dim set of candlelight, but it's better than nothing. She searched the dimly lit area she found herself in, and came across something suspicious in a corner. It looked like a random purple blob, out of place with the rest of the dark house.

She went over and touched it. Suddenly two crimson eyes opened in front of her.

"Aaaaahhh!!" Serena screamed, rearing back. The blob got up to its feet, and she recognised it as a Pokemon - Gengar, a ghost Pokemon. However, even though she remembered her first encounter with one, and knew that Gengar enjoyed scaring people, this one didn't look pleased at all. Even stranger was how it didn't look angry for Serena's intrusion. It was just... Resigned.

Serena sensed something was wrong from it's expression. She dropped her fear immediately to find out what was going on. "Gengar? Are you hurt?"

The ghost pokemon shook its head.

"What's the matter?"

Gengar stared into Serena's eyes. All fear was gone, and replaced with concern. Gengar felt the kindness, and knew it could trust her. "Gen, Gengar gar." it said glumly.

Unfortunately, Serena couldn't understand what the pokemon was saying, so Gengar opened the door behind it, and beckoned Serena inside.

Serena, who had nothing to lose at this point, swallowed her fear and followed.

She looked around once more. This time, though, she found herself inside a much nicer room.

A playhouse, with toys and rides galore. A merry-go-round, a TV, swing sets... It was warmly lit and entrancing, enough to put a smile on her face. But Gengar still looked distraught.

Gengar stared pointedly at a wall, and let off a massive growl, but to Serena's own surprise, she didn't flinch at all - as the growl was one of sorrow.

Just as Serena was wondering what could've made the Gengar so depressed, she heard a sound echo from the wall Gengar's eyes bore holes in.

Serena's eyes widened, and she moved closer. The sound echoed again. It was a wail, and anguished wail. And then...

"Help!" a voice cried out. The wall was iron, so the voice was muffled at best, and barely audible to Serena. But she knew there was a person, and maybe a pokemon behind that wall.

She tried Braixen's pokeball once more, with no luck. "Gaah!" she cried. "What do I do..?"

Serena stared at the dead pokeball in her hand. She was at a deadlock, with no way of finding Ash, no way of helping the Gengar, and with the ladder broken, no method to escape.

She sank to her hands and knees, her vision leaving her. Was this really how she falls..?

A warm sensation appeared on her slightly exposed leg. Slowly, her eyes opened, to see a touch of gold beside her. When the tears in her eyes dried, she recognised the gold: Abra. The same one from the Pokemon House.

"Abra!" she croaked. "What are you doing here..?"

Abra, without warning, wrapped its small frame around Serena's leg, and suddenly, she felt a dizzying sensation jolt through her bones and into her brain. She saw stars, though it quickly faded away, and she found herself not in the same place as before. Instead, it was a greyish cubic room, cramped and cold.

"Serena!"

Ash's voice. She opened her eyes, and there he was, on his knees in front of her, unscathed but also looking exhausted.

"A-Ash!" she stammered, and without thinking she threw herself at him, sobbing in his arms.

"Ash, I was so worried, y-y-you just disappeared..!"

"Serena..." he mumbled. He put his arms over her, and held her tightly in his arms.

After a minute or so, he turned to face the gold-tinged psychic-type. "Abra, I can't thank you enough."

However, Abra merely nodded and collapsed, breathing softly on Serena's leg.

"He musta used Teleport... Yeah, that must've tired out the poor guy." Ash sighed.

Serena's attention fell upon the purple creature by Ash. "A Haunter." he explained. "Seems like they've been here longer than I have."

Serena stopped to take in her surroundings. There wasn't much to focus on. "What is this place, anyway?"

The Haunter told Pikachu, who in turn translated to Ash. Ash's eyes widened. "You're telling me Team Rocket did this?!"

Serena seemed shocked. "Team Rocket?! But what were they trying..?"

Ash glared hard at the walls. "I bet this is some kind of prison for ghost types. Seeing as Haunter can't escape." he muttered angrily.

"Grr... I can't stand it!" Serena yelled. "We're gonna get out of here, and we'll save this Haunter too!"

She scanned the place over once more. "There's no door, which means you have to move around using teleport." she realised. "But Abra's too tired right now..."

Ash leapt up, a grin creeping over his face. "I got it!"

Serena looked at him. "Really?"

"This prison... it's not the material trapping Haunter, it must be some kind of weird energy! You know, because our pokeballs don't work! So if we can get some way to turn off the energy in this room..."

Serena smiled. "Say no more!"

She ran up to the wall. "Gengar!" she shouted. "If you can hear me, place the TV as close as you can to the metal of this room!"

Ash tilted his head, unsure as to what Serena's plan was, so she explained while she waited for Gengar. "Clemont's taught me one thing about inventions from traveling with him. It's that if there's too much power, it's bound to explode and fry your hair." she said, getting a loud laugh from Ash. "So if Pikachu can get a current from here to the other side where Gengar is, it might short circuit the room!" she finished.

Ash looked unsure, but he nodded. "It's certainly worth a try! Think you can do it, buddy?"

Pikachu stretched his paws, readying himself. "Pika!"

Suddenly they heard an explosion, and a crash. "I hope that's Gengar..." Ash whispered. "Go for it, Pikachu!"

Pikachu focused, and shot off a stream of Thunderbolt, which seeped into the metal wall and disappeared, being conducted. Suddenly, the walls made horrible grinding noises which startled Abra into waking up, and Serena and Ash's pokeballs all enlarged at once.

"It worked!" Ash yelled, punching the air and turning to Haunter. "You're free to move again!"

The gaseous purple ghost looked as though it was about to cry from the relief. Which it did.

Serena smiled, while Ash put a hand to his chin, pondering aloud. "I wonder how _we're _gonna get out..?"

Apparently, he was unaware of the Abra by his leg, holding it in one arm and Serena's shin in the other. Suddenly, the dizzy sensation hit them both, for several moments until they found themselves back in Gengar's playhouse.

They arrived at the same time as Haunter, who Gengar looked at and then cried, while Haunter sauntered into his arms.

Then, a white glow overcame the gas pokemon. Still in Gengar's clutches, the pokemon metamorphosed, it's body shaping into another Gengar. Still, they never broke their hug.

Serena and Ash smiled watching the Gengar couple. "So that's what that was..." Serena murmured, satisfied. "I'm so glad for them."

Ash had subconsciously put his arm around Serena, holding onto her, so as to not be taken from her again. "Love really can find a way, huh." he remarked.

* * *

Ash and Serena left the tower, waving goodbye the Gengar duo. "So Ash, who did you come to pray for anyway?"

Ash shrugged his shoulders. "Two pokemon, a Celebi and a Lucario, who I both saw give their lives to save the world, and I can only hope they're at peace."

Serena hugged him tightly while walking. "You'd better not leave me though, you got that..?"

Ash returned the gesture, blushing inside her warmth. "Never again, I promise you." he confirmed, giving her a kiss, perhaps to prove it to her. "I'll be by your side, always."

"And the same goes for me." she replied happily. "Let's carry on, together."

* * *

**Whew! A slightly darker chapter, just to include a little of Lavender Town's infamous terror.****This was originally supposed to be Ash's chapter, where he catches the Abra, but I had already written it as though Serena bonded with the little psychic type. Anyway, it was just amourshipping filler with a touch of sadness, but hey! Next chapter, amirite?**

**One more thing - yesterday I was added to the amour community! The fact that my story can be considered "good" by any level really means a lot. So thanks for that, Alison.**

**And thank everyone else too, for the follows and favourites. Even the spam reviews are nice, not naming any names, because you've appreciated the fic, and that makes me happy.**

**So here's to hoping that we get the return we've been dreaming of after the unfortunate pokemon anime hiatus, but anyway** **t****hanks**** for reading, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!**


	17. Chapter 17: Friendship is power

**Chapter 17:** **Friendship is power**

* * *

"A tag team?" Serena exclaimed. "In a contest?"

They were at the Pokemon Center, where Serena was signing into her next contest in Saffron City.

"That's right!" Nurse Joy told her, as she entered her name down into the computer. "Contests tend to catch coordinators off guard sometimes, by changing ever-so-slightly. So today's doubles round is an example of that."

Serena nodded, and began to think about what team, or teams, she should use. On one hand, Braixen and Pancham but on the other, Braixen and Sylveon... Or perhaps Popstar would make for a good teammate?

"Ack!" she cried, struggling to come up with anything. "This really_ has_ thrown me off guard..!"

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she turned her head slowly to the side, where she faced Ash, smiling back at her. "Don't sweat it, Serena. You'll pull through, all you gotta do is pick, and then train, just to be sure."

She smiled. "Thanks Ash." She stared her Pokeballs, and picked up two of them, opening them to reveal after a flash of blue light, her first two pokemon, Braixen and Pancham.

"Okay you two. Let's do this together, and get this ribbon!" Her pokemon simultaneously cheered.

Ash watched the trio as they trained vigorously, but didn't realize until they were finished he had been totally captivated by the performance. Serena's creativity complemented her two Pokemon perfectly, not to mention the smile on her own face making Ash feel warm.

He went over to her when they were done. "Serena, you're gonna do amazing with that, trust me."

Serena beamed. "That means a lot to me, thanks!" she looked at Pancham and Braixen. "Let's show this contest what Kalos pokemon are made of!"

Her pokemon, the panda and the fox, smiled back and cheered.

* * *

Ash lined up next to Serena, in wait to get her inside. Around them they saw spectators and the participants; Ash could easily tell them apart, seeing as most of the coordinators were clearly nervous, perhaps they were first timers. Serena, however, was over those first-timer jitters she got in her first performance, and admittedly, her first contest as well. But, she had been to several contests since then, so this time around she could control her nerves.

Serena was surprised to notice, however, that it had already been several months since they started walking around Kanto.

She sighed. It had been a lovely journey, but she didn't want it to go by as quickly as it had been. Ash had already gotten six badges and she had three ribbons. But while they had enjoyed their time together, Serena was disappointed that they hadn't had time to do anything personal for each other.

Ash was staring at her vacant expression, and had a feeling about what she was thinking. He rubbed his temples unconsciously, thinking of how to cure his girlfriend's evident disappointment.

But just as he was thinking this, his ears pricked up, to some distant noise, which sounded like some sort of crash.

"Hang on, did you hear that?" he asked, but Serena was already at the front of the line, signing in. Ash decided to drop it, as he didn't hear it again, and instead, watched contentedly as Serena made her way inside, where she split off with him as he took his seat in the viewing gallery.

* * *

Serena, accompanied by Pancham and Braixen, began to brush her hair a little bit. It had been growing, not to the length it used to have been, but even Ash had noticed - and complimented, which made her blush - that it was getting a bit longer. Perhaps half the length it used to be before her showcase debut.

"Hey, should I keep it short or let it grow out again?" she pondered aloud. Braixen and Pancham said something simultaneously - but then started arguing in their pokemon dialect, so Serena assumed with a stifled chuckle that they had given different answers. "Hey, it's fine, I was just wondering. I was gonna let it grow anyway."

Braixen nodded happily, and Pancham sighed - giving Serena an indication as to who wanted what, and she patted him on the head. "Though, I'll ask the other three if they want to see me with long or short hair, and then we'll decide, eh?"

"Pan, Pancham!" Pancham exclaimed, and this time Serena understood, by his tone of voice. '_And Ash too_!'

Serena nodded. "Yeah, and Ash."

She fidgeted in her chair. "I want to carry on traveling after this..." she murmured. Her pokemon looked at her, confused at the random statement. Then, she brought then into a group hug. "I bet Ash will win this league as well. That'd be amazing, and I'd be really happy for him, but I don't want to stop going around the world..."

Her voice became small, and she started to frown. Braixen put a paw on her shoulder, as did Pancham. "Brai, Braixen." the fire type said firmly, and the fighting type agreed.

Serena understood completely what they were trying to say; '_E__ven if Ash wanted to stay, he would never stop loving you._'

And the two of them did, in fact know that for sure. Ash had told Sylveon personally how he felt while Serena was in hospital. And a person like that - one that would never give up, would never even begin to imagine giving up on his love.

Serena got up, turning back to them, this time with a smile on her face. "Well, let's do this!"

And once more, her two first pokemon cheered.

* * *

"Welcome to the Saffron City contest!" Lilian announced. She began to reread the description and rules for the audience, before adding "A modest 32 coordinators will be competing for the Saffron Ribbon, so without further ado, please welcome our first trio!"

One by one, the coordinators showed off their teamwork; some mistakes and failures were made, to the amusement of the crowd but not so much Ash, who knew from Serena's experiences just how painful a slip-up in front of a huge crowd could feel.

However, there were other trainers, with their pokemon duet that wowed the audience, including Ash, for example a coordinator's Wynaut and Dratini combo which filled the room with shimmering sparks.

Yet, last but not least was Serena, and Lilian especially did a good job in hyping up the Kalosian pokemon that some of the viewers may not have even seen before. Clearly, she had captured their attention before her performance had began.

But Serena stood there, smiling at the audience, until finally she snapped her fingers. "Let's do this!" she cried.

Pancham sprung into action, punching a Stone Edge into the ground, sending up four massive pillars.

"And Braixen, Flamethrower!"

The fox beamed, and jumped onto the uppermost rock while also grabbing her tail-stick and she started to twirl down the rocks, disintegrating then one by one with the flames.

Pancham and Braixen danced with each other, frontflipping and cartwheeling, so much so that Serena herself couldn't help but move around alongside them, and the audience seemed to love it, cheering and whistling.

"Finish this up with Dark Pulse and Fire Blast!" Serena yelled, and her two partners fired their projectile moves into the air, as they intertwined with each other for bursting into sparks.

Contesta even got up and clapped, when the performance finished. "Wow, what a show! So this is a taste of the Kalos showcase!"

"Kalos pokemon are remarkable!" exclaimed Suziko.

"Yes, they truly are a sight to behold!" Nurse Joy agreed.

Serena beamed, and waved to the audience, while the three judges keyed in their scores.

However, Serena turned around. she heard something out of the blue, which sounded like an explosion. She looked back at the judges, then at Lilian. They hadn't noticed anything.

She scanned the spectator gallery around her for her partner, but to her shock, he was nowhere to be seen.

Now she got worried. She walked over to Lilian. "Did you hear anything..?" she muttered, careful not to have her voice picked up by the microphone.

Lilian stared, confused. "No, I didn't. What's the matter?" but then, the judges had already made their decisions, which were a combined total of 24.

Serena smiled, yet was still slightly unnerved.

Lilian, however, was jovial to continue announcing; "And Serena gains a nice total of 24!" she yelled, but strangely, only Serena could hear her voice.

Her microphone had switched off.

"Huh?" Lilian wondered, looking to the TV above them. It was also switched off.

Serena spun around to the empty seat in the gallery, where spectators were staring blankly around in confusion. What was going on, and where had Ash gone..?

* * *

Ash took off down the corridor. He had seen a flash of green as he walked into the seats, and out of curiosity he left just before Serena's performance to find out what it was; he suspected it would be the source of the explosion, whatever it was.

However, keeping up with this unknown green being was proving to be a lot harder than Ash expected. All he had to go on were the random explosions it made.

Eventually, the noises led him outside. "Hey! Whoever's making those explosions, show yourself!"

Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder, getting into a battle stance to prepare for the worst. Which he was right to do; not a moment after he had raised his guard did he see a blade fly towards him. He jumped backwards, and instead, the blade flew past him and directly into the wall besides them.

"Whoa!" Ash yelled. "What the heck?!"

He spun around to face the source of the attack, and there stood the green figure he had chased after.

Bent with furious sharp eyes and sharp swordlike limbs - Ash recognised it as the mantis pokemon, Scyther.

"Scyyyythe!" it screeched, preparing to lunge again. Ash and Pikachu jumped sideways to dodge, making the attacker smash into the wall and make it crumble. Ash cringed.

"Oi! Don't you know you're destroying a building here?!" he shouted, but Scyther was too preoccupied with whatever had enraged it in the first place.

"We're gonna have to weaken it!" Ash grimaced. He twisted his cap backwards on his head, and turned to Pikachu. "Okay buddy, use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu darted forward, but despite his own speed, it couldn't compete with Scyther's, who seemed to dodge it with ease. All it meant for Ash was that Pikachu was left in a vulnerable position.

Scyther, however, ignored Pikachu and went after the wall, once again. This time, his crash punched a hole straight through the wall of the contest hall. Ash heard a witnessing coordinator scream and dash away, but he shrugged it off and focused on Scyther. "Okay then, try Thunderbolt!"

This time, Pikachu fired a bolt of lightning which hit his target perfectly. Scyther growled, obviously having taken a lot of damage, and now it faced Pikachu directly.

Ash's eyes narrowed. His plan to get Scyther's attention had worked, but now what was he going to do to calm this enraged Pokemon?

"Pikachu, don't give up! Use Electro Ball!"

Pikachu obliged and raised his tail above him, generating a burst of energy for his attack, which he fired, in the shape of a ball. Scyther, however, sliced right through it and shrugged off the electric debris, making the two opposers gasp in shock.

"Man, that's one tough Scyther." Ash grimaced. He looked at Scyther for a weakness, and then realised - Scyther's too fast. What they needed to do was to slow it down, in order to make it panic.

He gulped, hoping his partner could see what he was aiming for. "Pikachu, Electro Ball, again!"

Now, Pikachu was confused. Why another time? But then he caught Ash's eyes, and saw where he was looking at, and nodded.

He fired one more ball of pure electricity, and Scyther once again raised its arms in front of it to block, but the move was aimed lower than it expected, causing the electro ball to strike it in the leg, making it bowl over. "Scyyy!" it gasped, hurt.

"Okay Pikachu, now's our chance!" Ash yelled. "Finish this with Electro Ball!"

Pikachu grinned, and ran up to Scyther. He leapt into the air, flipped and then raised his tail to use the final move. However, he never needed to charge this one for some reason. To Ash's - and Pikachu's own - surprise, he had just fired off an intense sheet lightning web, the likes of which completely smothered Scyther. Ash's eyebrows furrowed in wonder.

"What in the world..?" he gaped. But he had no time to wonder; footsteps started pounding, coming closer to him.

"Ash!"

Ash turned around to see Serena, followed by the judges and the announcer.

Ash was quick to explain to them what had happened. He pointed to the web of electricity and the defeated bug-type underneath. "This Scyther here was causing trouble and breaking stuff, so I battled it."

Serena hugged him. "Oh Ash, you had me worried for a second..."

He smiled, returning the embrace. "There's no need to be. I'm always okay."

The others' attention were on the Scyther.

"What a stunning Electroweb! That must've been yours!" Lilian exclaimed, to Pikachu.

Ash nodded understandingly. "So that's what that was!"

He crouched over his tired pal and gave him a high five. "That's awesome, Pikachu! You learned a new move!"

Pikachu grinned bashfully, but then turned Ash's attention to the receiver of his attacks.

Ash walked over to Scyther, and lifted the Electroweb. The Scyther was too dazed to fight back. He grabbed a pokeball, and tossed it into the air, to which it sauntered back down, and landed directly on Scyther's head. It disappeared into the pokeball, which landed on the ground.

One shake.

Then two.

Then three.

And finally, a click.

He had caught a Scyther.

He felt a vibration in his pocket, probably from his Pokédex updating the information on his newly caught pokemon. He checked it silently, noting Scyther's summary and tucked it away again.

Ash picked the ball up, his expression saying that his job wasn't finished yet. He opened the pokeball to reveal that same Scyther, gasping and sweating.

Ash soothed him calmly, all while scanning him all over, to see if the source of this Scyther's rage was on it. As it turns out, he was right.

Implanted in the very sole of his foot was a gold medallion. Ash gritted his teeth - this kind of shape would've been causing the poor pokemon a lot of pain.

Ash reached over. "Sorry Scyther, this might sting a little..." then he pulled out the gold, revealing it to be the same shape as the pendant in the center of a ribbon. He gave Scyther an Oran berry, and held the gold up to Contesta. "This is what made Scyther so angry. Do you know how that could've happened?"

The man thought for a moment. "Perhaps when we were making this ribbon, the gold center got caught in the poor Pokemon's foot." he bent down. "I'm very sorry for your trouble, Scyther."

However, by the time Scyther had finished off his Oran berry, his spirits were jovial, and he skipped about.

The judges, as well as Lilian, went back to the contest hall to explain to the expecting crowd, and to prepare for the contests continuation.

Only then did Ash process what he had just done. "Wow, I really did just catch a Scyther, didn't I?" he grinned to himself.

Serena walked over to him, amazed.

"Ash..." she muttered. "That was the best pokemon handling I've ever seen!"

Ash scratched his head, feeling bashful. "Well, i dunno about all of that..." but then he thought about it. "Actually, I was only following in your footsteps, with how calm _you _were when you first caught Sylveon as an Eevee."

Serena blushed. "Aw, come on..."

Ash kissed her abruptly. "Well, let's go. Your contest must be restarting by now."

She beamed, and walked with him as they held hands, followed by a chatty Pikachu and Scyther.

Serena again competed in the tournament rounds, and beat a double Butterfree in the finals, winning her the Saffron Ribbon.

* * *

She stared at it in her small ribbon case, next to her three others. there was space in the center for one more.

She smiled, determined to get that last one. But for now...

"Hey Serena." Ash said casually. "Do you want to take some time off battling and contests for now?"

He grinned, and softly held her hands. "You know, to spend a little time together..?" his voice was quiet, but Serena could definitely hear he was flirting.

She returned the smile, though her face flushed red. "I'd love to do that..." she murmured, but then it crossed her mind to play with him back, to tease him in revenge.

She put a hand against his chest and kissed him straight on the lips. "Aren't you a slick one though, Ashy..?"

Now it was Ash's turn to blush heavily. "Whoa, when did I get that nickname?"

"What, you don't like it?" she teased.

"Oh boy... I love you too much..."

Unfortunately for them, they hadn't noticed that behind them were a Pikachu, Scyther, Braixen and Pancham witnessing their romance and bursting into laughter.

* * *

**Whew! I thought I'd let Ash catch a pokemon for the indigo league, and man, Scyther is such a cool pokemon that I just felt like doing this. It was kind of inspired by that ketchup episode, but making Serena's contest the backdrop. My creativity is waning, but it's almost time for the grand festival, so buckle up!**

**As for Electroweb, I just watched the Sun and Moon episode where Pikachu learns it. Good stuff.**

**T****hanks for reading and I'll see you next chapter!**


	18. Chapter 18: On a Valentine's Day

**Chapter 18: On a Valentines ****Day**

* * *

Panic was not an emotion that Ash frequently felt.

Today, however, Ash paced around their bedroom the day after he received a call from Misty about an occasion that had completely slipped his mind.

His pacing, obviously would make the girl next to him feel unnerved. "Ash, what's up?" Serena asked.

Ash started, trying to think of an excuse. "Uh, it's nothing. Indigo League nerves, perhaps."

Serena got up off the bed, and patted him on the back. "You'll be okay! The League's not for another couple months anyway!"

"Yeah, you're right... Besides, I should probably be the one cheering you on, seeing as your grand festival is sooner." Ash grimaced.

Her eyebrows lowered as a wondering expression came about her face. "It's strange though... I don't feel worried at all. Nervous, a little, but it's nothing like how I felt at the Master Class."

Ash put a hand on his chin, but then he took it away again, and grinned. "Well, that's a good thing. Confidence always helps, as long as you aren't overconfident."

She smiled back. "Yeah, you're right."

"Anyway, I think I might get some training in today. Is that alright with you?"

"Well, if you have to..." sighed Serena, but then her eyes widened. "Wait, I should be training too!"

Ash laughed. "Alright. Well, I'll make it up to you with an extra special day, how about it?"

She nodded, blushing slightly. "Sounds good to me!"

Her and Ash left their room in the Pokemon Center, and Ash stood outside while she went off to look for a private spot. Which wasn't hard - the town was pretty small.

Once he was alone, he breathed a loud sigh of relief. "_Okay, she fell for my bluff._" he sighed in his head. He was surprised to find out though, that she had completely forgotten about what day it was; though to be fair they were in Silver Town, which was pretty remote, despite being on the road to Saffron City. They had went their as a detour to get Serena's final ribbon, but now that it was already over and she had won, they were left biding their time before the tide came in to Pallet Town and they could travel to Cinnabar Island for Ash's seventh badge. And then, his eighth gym badge in Veridian City.

But the reason he was so anxious specifically today was because it was February 14th - Valentine's Day. Misty had let him know yesterday, and so ideas of what to do to make today special for Serena caused him to lie awake that night.

But he had figured it out. Nothing major; just a simple bouquet of flowers with chocolates - that shouldn't be too hard, right?

He started walking to the town center, and when he got there he wasn't surprised to see heart-shaped balloons and posters decorating the place. He sweat-dropped unconsciously.

"Pikapi?"

Until then, Ash had forgot his small friend on his shoulder. "Oh hey Pikachu! Wanna help me find some flowers for Serena?"

Pikachu giggled, but nodded. "Pi!"

They went to the nearest shop advertising Valentine's Day outside it, and checked the store front. 'Carson's Bakery.' it read.

Ash looked at the treats on display in the window. "_Man, those look so good_!" he thought, but then he checked the label reading the price and his face fell. "_Darn. I'm not gonna afford those._" and moved on to the next shop.

"I just gotta look for some simple chocolates." he pondered aloud, and then to Pikachu, "Hey buddy, you think you can help me look for a nice box of chocolate?"

"Pika!" the lightning mouse replied, and jumped off Ash's shoulder. He ran through the street, coming to a stop at a corner store.

Ash caught up with him and gazed up. "Yeah, good idea!" he smiled, and they went in.

Ash went to the section labelled 'for a special someone', while going a bit red. He checked the items on display - a bunch of lovey-dovey cards, chocolates in heart-shaped boxes and little baskets of roses.

Ash took a chocolate box. "This looks pretty good!"

But then he frowned. "Huh... Now that I think about it, it seems pretty boring... Will Serena actually like this?"

He pondered this for a moment. To him, chocolate and flowers as a valentine's gift just seemed too generic.

"But if I don't get those, what else can I do..?" he thought.

He looked at the ceiling, deep in thought. He remembered what Serena had told him when they went shopping for the first time, "Your pokemon will be happy with whatever you get them, if it came from you."

And he smiled, because she had been spot on. He got his pokemon a huge assortment of berries to snack on, and they had indeed loved it.

Suddenly he leapt up. "I got it!" he exclaimed, trying not to be too loud. "Pikachu, let's bake something!"

When Ash had calmed down, he turned to his partner, who was pulling a dumbfounded expression. "chupika?

Ash tilted his head. "Well, no, I've never baked anything, but I've seen how it's done, so we just have to copy that, right?"

Pikachu raised his eyebrow. "Pika..." he muttered, wary of his trainers optimism.

Ash didn't want to give in so soon, however. "Just think of all those cooks we've been traveling with, y'know, Brock, Cilan, Clemont, and obviously Serena... It'd be awesome if we could do something that good!"

That managed to convince his mouse friend, who nodded with a bit more enthusiasm and began to follow after Ash. "First thing we gotta do," Ash began, "Is find a recipe!"

Pikachu's heart sank. Perhaps it was right to be nervous for Ash.

* * *

A few hours later, Ash laid the ingredients in front of him on a picnic blanket he had bought along with the tin for the biscuits, and looked at everything out in front of him. Unfortunately, Serena was capable of walking back to their room in the pokemon center, so heading back there would be a no-go, and for now he'd have to make do with an outdoor kitchen.

However, a lightbulb had flashed in his brain - he could just ask his pokemon for help!

And that's how he ended up, in a forest clearing, surrounded by his five pokemon while they all stared at a bunch of beakers and ingredients.

"Alright... Think." Ash said to himself. Then he raised a finger. "I got it! Okay, Squirtle, you stir these, and Bulbasaur, you stir these!"

He set aside two bowls, and poured in a handful of sugar and a slab of butter, enough that seemed right to him - though he had to swallow his rising concern that 'trusting instincts' would not be enough to get the recipe done.

He gave that bowl to Squirtle, and in the other bowl poured egg and milk which he then gave to Bulbasaur.

"Okay, you guys be the judges on when that seems ready!" Ash asserted, and turned to the rest of his items. Chocolate chips, flour, salt...

One by one, each ingredient went into the final bowl, which Bulbasaur's Vine Whip mixed intensely together to form a creamy beige dough.

Ash grinned open mouthed. "Hey, that looks pretty good!"

His pokemon were all happy to agree. "And now, for the final steps! Scyther, let's get this dough cut up! Use X-Scissor!

As it turns out, X-Scissor was a lucky pick from Ash, because it's accuracy allowed Scyther to slice through the sticky dough perfectly, the blades sharp enough to avoid getting stuck.

The dough landed on the tray Ash laid out perfectly; his eyes widened. "Scyther, did you do that on purpose?!"

On the tray, lay ten slices of cookie dough, however to his utter shock each piece was shaped like a love-heart. Scyther and Pikachu took one look at Ash's disbelieving face and burst into peals of laughter.

Ash exhaled, mainly to calm himself. "That's awesome!" he cried, and patted Scyther on the back. "You know what, that aim would be really good in a battle! We should try that out again when this is done!"

Scyther flashed Ash a cocky grin, happy to take him up on the offer.

Meanwhile Bulbasaur went over to Ash and asked a question they had all been thinking; "Bulba, saur bulbasaur?" (How are you gonna cook without an oven?)

"That's an easy one." Ash shrugged, closing his eyes. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Again, the five pokemon gaped at him. "Pika?!"

"Trust me, I have a feeling it'll work!"

"Pika..."

Pikachu gritted his teeth to prepare a weak thunderbolt, and fired it directly at the bottom of the tray. The tray was overwhelmed by the energy, which travelled through into the cookies and started to lightly toast them.

Ash's open mouth started to twitch into a smile. It actually was working.

Pikachu's shock gradually started to get stronger, and Ash watched the cookies purposefully as they began to brown, a lot quicker than what a simple oven could do.

"Okay, that's enough!" he said after a couple of minutes. Pikachu withdrew his electricity and fell over, lying down to rest.

Ash took the tray in his hands. Even through his gloves, he could feel the lingering heat from the thunderbolt. "Alright, let's try this!"

He grabbed one, and bit into it. A rush of static electricity coarsed into his teeth and made him shiver. However, he grinned nonetheless.

"It tastes great! Only things left to do now is to get some flowers! Oh, and I guess I should get rid of that electricity!"

Pikachu facepalmed, though they all started laughing amongst each other, while Pidgeot leaned over to fan the discharge out of the questionably-made biscuits.

* * *

"Hey!"

Serena spun around, and there was Ash, waving with one hand and smiling. Her eyes glanced to his hands, which held a single bunch of chrysanthemum flowers, and widened.

He ran up to her, and held out the flowers in his hand while blushing. "Happy Valentine's Day!"

She stared at him, open mouthed and wide eyed, until Ash had to push the bouquet into her hand. She threw herself into his arms, regaining her voice finally. "Oh my goodness Ash... You're too sweet..."

He said nothing, only grinning while embracing her kindly.

Next, he broke away after several moments and pulled out a small tin from his bag. "I couldn't find any chocolates that weren't too weird, so I decided to make these, a bit like yours!"

He opened the tin, and presented her with a batch of fresh chocolate chip cookies.

She stared again. "Oh wow, they look so good!" she exclaimed. "I can't wait!"

She reached towards the box, and put her hand in to take one. Feeling nothing, she looked at her hand, and found herself groping at nothing. "Huh?"

Ash glanced at his hands. The box had vanished!

He then looked up in confusion, to find a pokemon hovering overhead, sauntering away with his tin.

"Ahh! My cookies!" Serena yelled, and took off in pursuit.

Ash followed right behind her. "I worked hard to make those!" he yelled.

The pokemon turned around, if only for a second, to see a human couple hot on its tail. Ash recognised it by its red outline and small body as a Volbeat.

"A Volbeat, huh?" he muttered while running. However, the red bug started fluttering away faster to get away, and soon it was too far for them to catch.

"Oh no!" Serena gasped, attempting to catch her breath.

Ash scowled. "Man, everything was going so well as well!"

Serena caught her wind back, and went over to give him a reassuring pat on the back. "Don't worry, we'll get those cookies back."

He nodded, and they continued to head after the Volbeat, who had headed into a small looking woodland.

They didn't have to travel far. Soon enough, they stood in a bush, and crouched down, to see the Volbeat flitting about a fir tree, as if waiting for someone.

Ash and Serena watched the Volbeat closely - but then, another firefly, this time with a purple outline flew over to the lone Volbeat. An Illumise.

Serena pulled out her Pokédex and scanned them both.

**'Volbeat. The Firefly Pokémon. It loves the scent of Illumise, and will communicate with others using the light on its tail.'**

**'Illumise. The Firefly Pokémon. It's sweet aroma will cause many Volbeat to light up the sky.'**

In particular, this Volbeat held Illumises front paws in his own, and led him to the tin of cookies laid on the ground. The Illumise beamed, and spun around him to express her gratitude.

Serena smiled. "Wow, they make such a cute couple!"

Ash's eyes narrowed, as he nodded in approval. "Yeah, I bet that's why he stole the cookies."

Volbeat and Illumise twirled about the tree, and glowed a respective red and purple in a courtship dance. Ash had seen this once before and so explained this to his own lover, who beamed in awe and delight.

The two of them watched the dance while holding hands unconsciously.

* * *

After their dance had ended and the two fireflies descended, Ash decided to get up and show himself.

"Volbeat!" He exclaimed, albeit softly.

However, Volbeat startled, and reared back before taking a defensive stance in front of his beloved Illumise.

Ash put his hands in the air. "No, don't worry. I don't wanna start anything."

Serena also stepped forward, next to Ash. "We saw your dance! It was very pretty!"

Illumise smiled and relaxed, allowing the Volbeat to do so also.

Ash smiled, glad the two were at ease with them. "We, uh, just wanted to say to enjoy those cookies, and, um -"

"You two make each other happy, okay?" Serena finished for him and he nodded.

Volbeat and Illumise both cheered in agreement. They parted with Ash and Serena, who went back to Silver Town's Pokemon Center for the night, satisfied with how their day had went.

"I sure wish I could've tried a cookie though..." Serena sighed. "They looked so good."

Suddenly there was a random knock at the door. Ash pulled his nightvest over his head and headed to the door. "I'll get it." he said.

Serena watched him from in bed. "Huh? Oh, wow! Thank you!" she heard him say.

"What was it?" she asked, evidently curious.

Ash held out the same tin as he had put cookies into before it was stolen. "The Volbeat must've given it back!" he told her eagerly.

He opened the lid, and sure enough, two cookies lay sat in the box, and Serena wasted no time in grabbing one, in fear of losing it again. "Yay!" she shouted.

Ash took one as well, and they both tried it. Crunchy and slightly sweet. Ash silently was thankful the electricity had dissipated so he wasn't just electrocuting himself, his girlfriend and the firefly couple.

Serena beamed. "Wow, it's good!"

"I'm glad you like it." said Ash, grinning. He gave her a kiss when he had finished, and tucked himself into bed. "Have a good night, Serena."

She yawned, and cuddled closer to him. "Of course I will." she giggled. "I've got the nicest pillow ever."

Ash chuckled with her, and turned out the lights before falling asleep with her in his arms.

* * *

**Hey! Short little filler chapter, but I wanted to do something a little romantic just before the rush of the festival and league happens.** **Amour might escape the next couple chapters like it did during the Kalos League, so I'm sorry for that. I'll do the best I can though.**

**Reviews:**

Ja72 - Dang, great chapter as usual. The timeskip transitions are getting really smooth and not so jarring as they might've been closer to the start. The fluff? Don't worry_ anything_ about it it's perfect

**Mate, this warms my heart to hear, so thanks so much. It's always so rewarding when someone notices my improvement. And if you like the fluff... Then my work here is done. It's been my goal to write something that people can enjoy.**

**And to everyone reading, thank you**** and I'll see you all next chapter!**


	19. Chapter 19: Aggressive Passion

**Chapter 19: Aggressive Passion**

* * *

Serena took a deep breath. It was finally time.

She and Ash stood outside the festival hall, about to go inside and register herself and her five earned ribbons.

Strangely, though her nerves made her jittery, they weren't making her scared, as opposed to when she entered the master class. She paused, to wonder.

But then she gazed at the boy by her side, who looked at her with a smile. "Give it all you got in there!" he said.

Serena smiled back, her eyes bright. Yes, it probably was Ash's presence that melted away some of her stress; knowing that there was someone by your side, someone who loved you no matter what happened...

They waited in a long queue to get Serena lined up. In that queue were many coordinators from across the world, and Ash could identify each pokemon that was with them, and he told her names of Johto, Hoenn and even Sinnoh native pokemon that some coordinators had. They both could tell the majority of them were first timers to the grand festival, but also saw others that demonstrated the confidence of a veteran.

It took a long time. Perhaps even an hour, but finally, she made it to the front desk, and showed her contest pass and five ribbons. "Thank you!" the receptionist said. "Now just please write down which pokemon you'll use for each round."

Serena focused. This is what decides it all. "_Which of my pokemon will be best for the qualifiers?_" she wondered. "_The real question is, how good are my pokemon in battles?_"

Braixen, Pancham and Sylveon, her three Kalos pokemon were all good in battles. They had tag battled together, and Sylveon with Ash and Pikachu.

Serena had also used Jigglypuff in many contest battles, and she had done a brilliant job.

"_That's perfect then. Popstar would be great for the qualifiers anyway._"

She wrote Pikachu in for the first box, and then for the larger box which could include six pokemon, she put down Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon and Jigglypuff. The receptionist let her know that she could change between whichever of these pokemon she wanted for each round, to make things more interesting.

She handed in the sheet, and her and Ash left into the lobby.

Her eyes flitted between the other contestants, and she saw their expressions. Some nervous, some confident, some even scared, and some nonchalant.

"It's been a while since I've seen a grand festival..." Ash muttered, and Serena simply nodded. "The last time I went to Kanto's grand festival must've been..."

"It was four years ago!"

Ash spun on his heels, and Serena followed suit. "Huh?" she said, but then she looked at Ash - his mouth and eyes were wide open, and he was staring directly at a girl who was facing them. One with a blue bandana and long brown twintails, and blue eyes. She grinned hugely.

"What?! May?!" Ash exclaimed.

She winked. "Hey, Ash! It's been a long time!"

Even Serena recognised that name. "Wait, you know May, the coordinator princess?"

"Aw, that nickname's still pretty embarassing..." The girl blushed. "Nice to meet you too, by the way."

Serena nodded, and felt like bowing. Which she did, a little. "Nice to meet you! My name's Serena!"

Ash was still in disbelief. "May, i can't believe it! What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was called in by Mr Contesta to be a fourth judge for the festival, and I was happy to accept." then her eyebrows lowered in curiosity. "What about you? Here with your _girlfriend_?"

Ash leapt backwards, going beet red. "M-May! How'd you know she's..!" Then he stopped himself.

Suddenly it hit him that she only said the word 'girlfriend' as a joke, and she didn't really know that they were dating.

Unfortunately for him, it was too late, and May's mouth was agape.

"Wait, it's true?! You - have -"

Her sentence didn't want to come out, as her brain didn't believe what it was hearing. But she looked at Serena, who was blushing furiously, and her brain was forced to accept it. And when it did...

"Oh my word!" she squealed. "That's so cute!"

Ash cringed, fully aware that typical May would be gushing for ages over the whole situation. And he was right. "Ash, you gotta tell me all about it! How did you meet? Oh, did you confess or did she? I never knew you could actually be romantic!"

"Cmon May, lay off!" Ash groaned.

She still had the biggest beam on her face when she turned to Serena. "And you, Serena! What made you like such a doofus?"

Ash groaned again, realising that Serena would really get along with May and so May would be even more able to make fun of him, and Serena giggled, yet withdrew into herself partly out of embarassment. "Well, he's really... Positive... And kind..." she said, her voice quiet as a mouse.

May looked at Ash again, and gave him a thumbs up. "You got a keeper there, Ash! You'd better keep her happy!"

Ash nodded seriously. "Of course i will!"

May would've spoken more, but a buzz cut into her train of thought.

She pulled a mobile out of her pocket. "Hello?"

After talking for a bit, she hung up and looked back at Ash and Serena. "Darn, I gotta go find Nurse Joy, but I'll see you again later! Oh, and Serena, don't think I'll be nice just because you're Ash's girlfriend!" she winked.

Serena's jaw fell and she blushed, yet shook her head, to say that she was fully confident in her own skill.

Serena was given a guide book and dorm keys, so Ash managed to persuade her to check out her dorm room. When they got there she was definitely not disappointed.

"Wow!" she breathed, walking into a large bedroom and taking in the sights. "This place is lovely!"

Ash nodded. "Not a massive change from last times I was here. They really must put a lot of effort into this festival."

He looked out the window, overlooking a view he had seen before. Below was a balcony where he remembered May and Solidad sat, talking about the upcoming grand festival.

And now he was here once again, but this time, instead of rooting for a close friend, he was rooting for his girlfriend.

He turned back to her and smiled. "269 competitors, and 64 are going to the battle rounds, which are all double battles." he said casually. "It may sound tough, but I'm sure you'll do it."

"Thanks Ash." Serena beamed. She gazed at the pokeballs sitting in her hands. "Let's do this together. Everything we've learned... We'll show Kanto what we've got!"

* * *

The next day Serena woke up, dreading to have overslept, but thanks to an alarm, and also the help of Ash, she got up, practiced for a few minutes, and finally the time came for her preliminary round.

"Please welcome, hailing from Vaniville Town in the Kalos region, it's Serena!"

She waved to the crowd while walking onstage, and tossed a pokeball into the air. "Popstar, come on out!"

Pikachu burst forward from the pokeball, her magenta dress glinting as she descended. "Helping Hand!"

Popstar fell, and aimed her paw at the ground, and slammed into the stage with a move that sent visible shockwaves running through it.

"Landing with a Helping hand, how clever!" Lilian remarked.

She didn't stop there - once Popstar had gotten onto all fours again Serena put a hand in the air. "Popstar, now do a discharge!"

Popstar jumped as high as she could, and surrounded herself in electricity. When it became too much, she concentrated with all her mind and aimed the bolts diagonally downwards, so that the electricity smashed into the water and sent it curving above her.

"Finish this with Iron Tail!"

The wave was inches away from landing right on top of the small electric mouse when its tail began to shine silver. Then, Popstar backflipped, and sliced right through the water, the energy turning some the droplets into sparkles as the rest of the wave washed around the pair.

"And finish!"

The four judges got up and clapped. Even May was bubbly.

"Such an elegant way of showing off Pikachu's cuteness!" she beamed.

Instead of being out of 30 like the previous contests, the score was out of 100 and Serena was given 91 - a very high score.

* * *

"Awesome work!" Ash said when he met up with her below the dorms. "I think there's also a second preliminary round, and your score gets added up, so keep it up and you'll do amazing!"

"Thank you so much!" she replied. "Now, do you wanna get some lunch and go back to training?"

Ash agreed, and he scanned the guidebook. "There's a great noodle chain nearby! How 'bout it?"

Serena nodded, and the two of them got up and walked hand in hand to find their meal.

* * *

A day passed, and Serena passed the other round with 86 points, earning herself a solid 177 out of 200. Easily a great total, as long as her competition was average. Though, Ash didn't notice any failed rounds from anybody, meaning Serena wasn't out of the woods just yet.

However, the two of them gathered by the board, which had started to list the people who had passed, icon by icon.

Each row was made of 8 people. They waited until they saw Serena's face. And then,

"Serena, look! Third row, to the left!" said Ash.

And there she was - Serena breathed a massive sigh of relief. She had made it.

Immediately, she spun around and hugged Ash, taking the boy by a pleasant surprise. He hugged her back, and the board started to display the matches. In the first round, there would be 32 battles. Serena waited - then she saw she was paired against a young boy with brown hair.

Serena couldn't see him in the sea of faces, so she just decided to head back to the dorm for the day with Ash.

"Tomorrow you'll be battling!" Ash grinned. "Think you're ready?"

"I've trained with you, haven't I?" Serena responded with a blush.

Then she added, "The future pokemon master..!"

Ash laughed, though he went slightly red. "We'd better get in a bit of last minute training together, I think."

"That sounds good to me! But, uh, tomorrow. It's pretty late already."

"I guess so."

Ash climbed up into his bed, and for the first time ever, he was disappointed that they were bunk beds. But, either way, he lay down and went to sleep. At least the beds were comfortable.

* * *

Ash woke up, and noticed Serena was still asleep below him. He smiled unconsciously, and then an idea popped into his head.

* * *

About twenty minutes later, the smell of smoke woke the other girl up.

She groggily wiped the sleep from her eyes, and looked around for the source of the smell. And then she saw Ash, covered in soot sat at a table in the room.

"Morning!" he said. "I got you some breakfast!"

The image definitely woke the girl up fully. "Uh, why do you look like you've crawled out of an explosion?"

Ash scanned his arms. They were fully blackened. His hair looked like the fried mess that usually occurred when he was in the vicinity of one of Clemont's failed inventions. "Oh, this? It's probably because I crawled out of an explosion."

when Serena raised an eyebrow, he quickly continued. "I tried to make breakfast by myself, but the cooker caught fire. In fact, I'm pretty surprised I didn't wake anybody up."

Ash presented her with a slice of toast covered with an appetising jam. "Here, I bought this instead."

Serena beamed, and quickly swallowed down the bread after thanking him. "That was delicious!"

She got up, and went to the wardrobe, starting to unbutton her nightdress. Behind her, Ash spluttered and quickly turned around so as to not be rude.

Then he felt something soft on his back, and saw arms wrap around his body. "You don't have to be shy, you are my boyfriend, aren't you?" Serena giggled.

"u-uh..." Ash stuttered. "I-i-i thought I was staring..."

She laughed, and put on her outfit; this time it was her favourite dress which she wore to her Master class, which was red and pink with a bow in the middle. She even kept on her pink showcase key, perhaps out of reminiscence or to remind the audience of her roots in performing.

Either way, Ash couldn't help but crack a huge grin when he saw her. "Wow, you're looking real cute in that!"

Serena blushed, holding a hand to her chest. "I'm glad you like it!"

"Anyway, I promised you some training, didn't I?" he winked. "These battles do get pretty serious!"

* * *

By the end of the morning, Serena was ready for her first contest battle.

She entered the stage to find it has become a typical stadium. On the other side was her opponent.

He glowered, which immediately put Serena on edge but she attempted to shake it off, and tossed her pokeball into the air. "Go, Sylveon!"

Her foe did so also, and while a silver pokemon materialised on Serena's side, this boy had a fluffy brown pokemon that Serena recognised fully as a pokemon she used to have. Sylveon recognised it too, because she used to be one - an Eevee. However, what Sylveon didn't recognise was the glint in its eyes; while she used to be timid pre-evolving, this Eevee seemed much more aggressive, attempting to leer Sylveon to no avail.

Lilian the announcer was itching to start. "Let the match between Serena and Liam begin!"

Serena focused. That was the first she had heard of the trainers name. Though that's not what mattered to her at the current moment in time. What did, was finding a win.

"Eevee, use Tackle!"

The small dog charged at its elder with a speed that took them both off guard. The move connected, and while Sylveon still stood strong, Serena could hear some of her points getting sapped.

But then, Eevee lunged again, and Serena had enough time to call Sylveon to dodge. Which she did, by prancing delicately out of the way.

"Sylveon, Swift!"

The Eevee was taken off guard by the agility of Sylveon, and was unable to react to the move in time, and the swift made its mark.

The boy looked concerned about something.

Serena continued, watching his conflicted expression warily. "Now use Fairy Wind!"

"Eevee, Protect against it!" he commanded. However, when Sylveon came round to launching her powerful winds, no shield went up to cover Eevee. Instead, the little pokemon charged headfirst into it, taking Serena by shock and the boy by visible frustration. "No! Eevee!" he yelled.

"Finish this off with Swift!" she shouted, and Sylveon fired off a ray of stars that collided with the airborne Eevee and sent it crashing down.

To Serena's surprise, it wasn't enough to knock the dog out. However, the judges panel were calling the match over anyway.

Serena looked to the scoreboard. That boy and his Eevee had lost all of their points, from the disobedience and the lack of defense, so it was really no wonder she was given the win.

He returned his Eevee, looked at Serena and gave her a nod. Serena nodded back, though neither smiled - in fact the young boy was scowling. Serena felt sorry for the poor boy because it wasn't his fault they had lost, but at least he knew that Serena had skill.

* * *

She went to Ash after the round had ended - after watching that battle, he looked quite thoughtful. "That Eevee looked like it didn't want to be there, I reckon." he said casually.

"You think so?" Serena asked, curious.

"I've actually seen it before." he explained. "You remember Buizel?"

Serena nodded, thinking back to the very perky sea weasel who Ash had fought with against Sawyer in the Kalos League.

"You see, I used to have an Ambipom, and Buizel belonged to a coordinator friend of mine called Dawn. But Ambipom didn't like battling, and her Buizel was bored of contests. You could tell by the lack of effort for what they did that they didn't want to do what we were. Eventually, me and Dawn did a trade, and our pokemon were much happier for it." he finished.

Serena nodded again. "You have a lot of experience with pokemon, don't you?"

He smiled. "I try, I try."

Serena nudged him with a grin. "Well, o Pokemon Master, can you tell me which pokemon I should use for the next few battles?"

To her surprise and somewhat amusement, he took her question seriously. "Hmmm..." he mused. "Well, It really depends on your opponent. Jigglypuff seems like a good match against avoiding big enemies, for example, but say, Pancham can deal pretty heavy hits."

"Wow, I'll keep that in mind then." she said with a raised eyebrow.

Her next battles went past, and she won the second round, then the third.

Her fourth round was trickier for her.

She had Jigglypuff and Sylveon out, and her opponent seemed to hail from Johto, having a Noctowl and Crobat.

Not only was Serena faced against a type disadvantage from both of her pokemon against Crobat, the foe's Noctowl was very good at dodging Jigglypuff.

She was down in points and time had ticked down to only a minute remaining.

"Jigglypuff, Sylveon, retreat!" she shouted, trying to think of a plan.

"_Double battles_!" was what ran through her mind. "_Gotta think of the double battles I've seen..._"

Then it hit her. She had been in two double battles, one with Shauna on her side, the other with Ash on her side.

She recalled the events in her head. When one pokemon was being attacked, the other would cut off the attacks. Now, all she had to do was carry it out.

The girl on the other side seemed satisfied. "This match is over!" she exclaimed. "Crobat, use Acid on Jigglypuff."

"Sylveon, Fairy Wind on Jigglypuff!" urged Serena.

The girl looked just as confused as the judges and Sylveon blew a gust of sparkling winds to hit her teammate. However, to Serena, it made sense. Jigglypuff was a balloon pokemon, and a fairy type. It wasn't going to do much damage, and also let her escape as a result.

Crobat got knocked back by the wind, putting it right where Serena wanted. "Alright, use Double Slap!"

Jigglypuff descended, as Crobat struggled to get up. But it was too late for the bat - the pink balloon had already reached it and began to inflict a heavy amount of damage.

Serena looked up. Three seconds left.

"Spin!"

This command confused everyone, yet again. But Jigglypuff and Sylveon understood it perfectly. The white dog darted into the fray, and Puff jumped on her back, doing a twirl on one tiny flipper to announce the finish of a performance.

"And that is time!" declared Lilian. "Let's see who's won!"

But what was written on the board definitely did shock her. "The points are so neck and neck! Can one of the judges please take a look at this?!"

* * *

After a while of the four judges backstage, May had re-entered and walked over to Lilian while the other three returned to their benches, ready to announce the winner.

"These two talented coordinators came incredibly close to a tie as Serena brought back the score so quickly, so we had to read how many pixels there were." she started, a drop of sweat falling down her face as some members in the audience laughed - some even cheered.

"But, it looks like the one moving onto the semifinals will be... Kayla of Violet City! Congratulations!"

The audience clapped, some cheered for Kayla, some for Serena, which made her smile despite the feeling of a loss.

She picked up her two devastated pokemon. "It's okay you two, you tried your hardest and that's all that matters."

"Good game?"

Serena noticed the girl standing over her, the one who beat her. She was holding out her hand. "I wasn't sure if you had beaten me there, I was pretty worried. That's really sayin' something. So nice one."

Serena took her hand with a smile. "Thanks, and yeah. Good game."

She got up. "Now if you were good enough to beat me, then go on and win this whole thing!"

Kayla beamed. "I'll do my very best!"

* * *

Serena met up with Ash in the gallery to watch the final few matches. In the finals, she noticed Kayla, and she went onto win the festival.

May had talked with the two of them for a bit after it was over, but she left quickly, explaining she had a flight to Hoenn to catch.

When the commotion had died down and they were left outside the festival hall, Ash sat with Serena under the setting sun; he put his arms around her in a cuddle. "Serena, you really did amazing, you know?

She rested her head on her shoulder. "Man, I was so close..."

"But remember, what matters most -"

"Is the experience!" she finished with a smile. "Yeah, and I learned a lot for sure!"

They looked to the sky. Around then it was noisy and bustling, but it had started to die down as the evening drew in. Serena continued, "About performing, about Kanto... And one more thing that I could -"

She was cut off, however, by a bang, and the sound of screaming.

Her and Ash both jerked their heads up at the same time. "What was that?!"

"I dunno, let's go check!" he replied, and they both ran off to the source of the noise.

It came from another end of the round contest hall venue. When they turned round the corner, they saw a boy in a black tuxedo facing down an Eevee, and their expressions told the couple that they were the source of the explosion. But Serena quickly recognised the pair as her opponents in the first battle round - Liam, she recalled was his name.

He was yelling angrily at the Eevee, who growled back at him. "Go! Get out of here!" he yelled.

Ash immediately ran over to intervene. "Oi! What's going on here?!"

Suddenly, Liam yanked a pokeball from out of his pocket, and threw it on the ground, hard. Then, he stamped on it with such force that it shattered. Eevee's eyes widened, and Ash looked at the Eevee and then back to the trainer.

This damn pokemon needs to leave! I'm not putting up with him anymore!"

Ash glowered at him, his face disgusted. "What the hell! You can't just abandon -"

"I do what I want!" the boy snarled, and then he began to step forward, inching towards the Eevee.

Ash watched as Liam shuffled, hands in pockets, and when he reached his pokemon, pulled his leg backwards and aimed a kick, which Eevee deftly sidestepped.

That sent Ash over the edge. "No!" he bellowed, and he ran over to the boy, tackling him into the mud.

Then, Ash felt a pain on his leg that made it buckle and caused him to collapse. He looked up - Eevee had just used Double Edge on him.

Serena ran over to him to check if he was okay, but he just stared incredulously at the Eevee who was growling aggressively.

It's trainer staggered to his feet. "You see now?!" he screamed. "This is why! That stupid Eevee is always so aggressive and loses everything for me!"

Then he turned his back, and stormed off. Ash got up helped by Serena, but when he turned back to Eevee, it had started to run off, disappearing into the woods to their left.

"Serena, I'm gonna go find that Eevee. You wait here for me." he murmured, and took off.

"Ash, hold on!" she shouted after him, but it was too late.

* * *

Ash wandered past the trees. Pikachu scouted ahead, keeping an eye peeled.

After a while, Ash finally came across a brown outline of a pokemon throwing himself against a tree. "Eevee!" he called out.

The dog pokemon turned around and when he saw Ash again, started to growl and leer. However, Ash didn't waver and instead kneeled down, reaching into his bag and producing an Oran berry from it.

The suspicion was evident on Eevee's face. Then, he screwed up its face furiously and leapt at Ash, sinking his teeth into Ash's hand.

Ash winced. But he didn't shout. He just said, "It's okay. I know you have every reason to not trust me."

Ash heard rustling from behind him. Serena ran to him, but when she caught sight of Ash's eyes she stayed quiet.

"After all, I did attack your trainer. But I promise you, you're better off without him."

Ash's calmness came as a shock to Eevee, and he even let Ash's hand go, and stared at the red marks he left.

"It's okay now. You're free now. But I'll only leave you alone when I know you'll be okay."

Eevee watched him with wide eyes. Then, a glow came off of Serena's dress as she felt one of her pokeballs open by itself.

Sylveon materialised next to her, and she solemnly paced over to Eevee, and wrapped her ribbons around him.

Then, a tear rolled down Eevee's cheek. And another, and soon he was sobbing into its evolution's ribbons. Sylveon let Eevee snuggle into her body.

Ash waited for the little pokemon to calm down. "Eevee..." he said softly. "Please, help me understand how you're feeling. Maybe I can help you if I knew..."

Eevee sniffed, and stepped away from Sylveon, and stared down a tree with damp eyes. Then, Eevee fired a Swift into the wood, strong enough to cut in and cause a bunch of splinters to shoot off.

Then, he ran into the tree with a Double Edge and completely took out the stump, making the tree topple.

Ash raised an eyebrow from realisation. "Eevee, do you like to battle?"

It nodded once.

Ash's subdued face broke into a smile. "Well, in that case, I have an idea."

He put his arm out, and Pikachu jumped onto it. Eevee noticed the warm bond between the two of them, and listened intently.

"Eevee, me and Pikachu here want to be Pokemon masters! Right now, we're on a journey towards the league - uh, a fighting tournament, but I can't do it alone."

Pikachu nodded, and pointed at himself. Ash continued. "Me and all of the pokemon that I befriend and catch... Some of us may have different dreams. But we've got the same goal, which is to get stronger." he hesitated, seeing Eevee nod unconsciously, relating exactly to what Ash was saying. Then, Ash balled a fist, and placed it in front of Eevee. "Whaddaya say, we have a battle, you versus Pikachu?"

That managed to inspire Eevee, and he grinned, wiping the tears from his face using a paw.

Ash took a step back, while Serena and Sylveon sat down to watch. "Okay Eevee, we're ready when you are!"

Eevee nodded, and fired off a Swift.

"Pikachu, dodge it!"

Pikachu sidestepped nimbly, and with a speed that definitely gave Eevee a surprise, circled around him.

"Okay, now use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu closed in, and Eevee managed to roll away by the skin of his teeth to avoid a silver tail smashing into the ground next to him.

"Follow it up with Electroweb!" he commanded.

Pikachu spin around on his tail and using that same tail, ensnared the dog in a shocking substance. However, it didn't take out Eevee just yet, as he decided to plow through with Double Edge and hit Pikachu.

Pikachu was knocked back but got up immediately. "Okay, Quick Attack!"

Then, Pikachu zigzagged towards Eevee, who's eyes couldn't process the speed. Eevee stepped back and fired another swift, but his aim was just a little off, and Pikachu evaded it before landing a blow.

"Finish this!" urged Ash. "Iron Tail, let's do this!"

Pikachu, having already gotten Eevee onto the floor, raised his tail which began to shine silver. He leapt at the brown dog, who closed its eyes and waited for the defeating hit.

After nothing happening, Eevee opened its eyes. The silver tail was inches away from his face, stopped dead in midair. He caught Pikachu's gaze, who winked in return and lowered his tail.

He went over to Eevee and helped him up. This time, Pikachu grabbed the Oran berry from Ash and feeds it to the dazed pokemon.

"Pika pika, chupikachu."

"Evui?"

"Pi! Pipikachu!"

"Eevee, evui vui!"

Ash glanced curiously at Pikachu. "Watcha saying to him, buddy?"

Pikachu just jumped up into Ash's bag, making the boy watch him even more confused, but then when Pikachu pulled out a pokeball and placed it in front of Eevee the penny dropped.

"Eevee..." Ash smiled. "You wanna come along with us and get stronger?"

Eevee nodded with a reignited joy. Ash picked up the ball, and tossed it high into the air, and with a fleeting movement Eevee had leapt at the ball and gave it a headbutt, causing it to absorb the little brown dog in a streak of light.

It fell into Ash's palm, and clicked immediately after it had.

Ash jumped up joyfully. "Yes!" he yelled. "I caught Eevee!"

Serena hugged him tight. "Ash, I don't think I've seen a more caring person than you in my life..."

Ash blushed at her words. "Oh, I try." he grinned.

Then out of nowhere he grabbed her waist and hoisted her up. "Wah!" she yelped, but she laughed. "Ash, calm down!"

"Now, it's time for me to take the Kanto Queen back to her palace!" he laughed.

He then started to walk out of the forest with her in his arms, to the pokemon center.

"Wait Ash, put me down!" she cried. "I didn't even win!"

But she was laughing along with him, as happy as can be.

* * *

**And that is it for the grand festival chapter! If it seems bleak, I'm sorry! Coming up with stuff that fits is hard. However, I wanted Ash to catch one more pokemon before Indigo, so that's why focus suddenly shifted onto him.** **Eevee is such an awesome pokemon considering it can evolve into most types which is just really cool. However, Ash never caught one. So you bet I'm gonna get THAT to happen.**

**Reviews:**

magic135 - How sweet. I hope to see a chapter with the two of them on a beach.

**Man, I hadnt thought of it before I had finished the storyboard. Sorry to disappoint anyone who wanted the typical beach episode. Perhaps in a oneshot sometime? if I get requests for it, of course.**

JsAC - You suck.

**I doubt it.**

**Anyway, next**** chapter will be the League. Buckle up, everybody, but for now thank you for watching and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	20. Chapter 20: A Day to Remember

**Chapter 20: A Day To Remember**

* * *

The outskirts brought back vivid memories. Colours, smells, adrenaline... Everything matched perfectly to the day six years ago.

Except for two things.

The first of which, was the experience of those six years Ash had built up, knowledge and instinct, better reaction time and wit in battle.

The second, was his companion. Instead of two friends, there was only one, but she provided all the support and faith that he needed to stay collected.

This person that Ash trusted so much of his confidence to was currently staring at the Plateau in wonder. "Wow..." she muttered. "This place is-"

"Breathtaking." Ash finished for her. "Brock told me that the Indigo Conference became the biggest League tournament in the whole world since I've been gone."

Serena sweat-dropped, but out of concern. "I can bet this is gonna be tough."

But then, she smiled to him. "But, if you can just give it your very best shot, you can definitely win this."

Ash beamed, evidently reassured by her sentiment. "I'll always do my best."

* * *

When Ash signed in, he was recognised instantly by many tournament-goers, spectators, et cetera. They gasped, pointed, said hello, and Ash simply waved.

"Wow, you're famous!" remarked Serena, making Ash scratch his nose from bashfulness.

"Heh, probably because I got several upsets as a rookie last time I was here." he explained, overhearing a conversation two people were having about Ash's fourth round battle six years back. Serena was pretty impressed.

Meanwhile, Ash was reading a display which read all the battles, which were to happen an hour from now. He saw his own face on that board, located next to the words B-2. Second match, stadium B.

"Well, that's not too long away." Ash shrugged. "We have a bit of time, what do you wanna do?"

Serena pondered for a moment. "I could go for something to eat."

Ash nodded, and then jumped up with enthusiasm so random that it made Serena jump. "Hey, that's actually a really smart idea."

Ash noticed Serena looking really confused at his praise, so he continued. "Well, the thing is, after a few rounds the restaurants get so packed that you can't get anything."

"Okay, I get it." she replied, and they both left to the nearest joint hand in hand.

There turned out to be a burger joint nearby, and seeing as how Serena hadn't eaten fast food like that, Ash decided it would be a great idea to treat her to some. So he did - he enjoyed it - Serena didn't mind the food, though it wasn't her favourite.

* * *

Soon, a bell rung out in the area. That bell meant it was time for the matches to begin. Ash jumped out of his chair. "Well, I'd better get ready! I'm in a match after this one."

The couple took off back to the main venue, and waited for the battles to end - it didn't take too long, probably about only five minutes. After all, not much was really expected from the first round competitors.

Ash took his place in the stadium, and a bit later, another boy stood on the other side: Ash's first opponent.

The boy was pretty short, but his huge mohawk made up for a few inches. Ash couldn't really get a read off of his face, but he himself seemed pretty jumpy. Perhaps he was just a jumpy person, but it was probably nerves. Ash took to assume it was his first tournament - not that it mattered to him though, because he would always put in 100%.

The referee read out the rules: Three on three, switches allowed at any time, same as always. The field was rocky, so nothing really unstable for Ash to worry about like water or ice.

He started off with Scyther while his opponent started with Azumarill. Azumarill was knocked out before it could land a hit, and so Jeison had to make a switch to Wigglytuff. It seemed to pose a larger threat as it was able to do some damage but a Swords Dance boosted X-Scissor defeated the large balloon pokemon.

His final pokemon was Luxray, very strong but unfortunately for the boy, Ash had plenty of experience when he trained with Clemont. He was able to predict and lead Scyther out of the way of most attacks, and finished off the Gleam Eyes Pokemon.

The referee raised both of his flags. "Luxray is unable to battle, and because Jeison has no more usable pokemon, the victory goes to Ash!"

Ash ran to the center of the arena and picked up his tired ally. "Hey Scyther, you did so awesome that battle!"

Scyther smiled back, and Ash recalled him proudly.

Jeison was watching him, and came over to shake his hand, but his face was more awed than it was disappointed. "That was a great battle!" he remarked, and Ash nodded in agreement. "How did you train your pokemon to be able to do that?" he asked Ash.

Ash wagged a finger. "I don't train my pokemon. I train _with _my pokemon." he stated simply, and Jeison clearly was impressed as he turned away, basking in his newfound knowledge given to him by Ash.

* * *

He made his way back to his motel room that evening for a nice rest. After all, he'd need an early night to get up very early to train for his next few battles.

He turned the key in and carefully cracked open the door, and went in, closing but not locking the door behind him.

It was a small room, not as cosy as the dorms in the grand festival venue, but Ash didn't mind. He sat down on the bed, and stared at a pokeball in his hand. He contemplated for a few minutes, and then nodded to himself, in an attempt to psyche himself up. Then, he opened the pokeball in his hand.

The brown dog, Eevee, materialised in front of him and immediately started taking in his surroundings, baring fangs at the walls until Ash calmed him down and reassured him that it was safe.

"Eevee, you'll be battling alongside me for the first time soon. What do you say we get some training done together?"

Eevee nodded enthusiastically, which took the edge off of Ash a little, and he lightened up.

"Awesome!" he exclaimed, and he got up, about to walk out to find a good spot for some exercises when the door creaked open.

Ash turned to see who it was, and his jaw dropped.

Serena stood facing him with a smile plastered across her face, but her attire certainly caught Ash's attention.

It was an outfit he had actually seen before - A pink dress with Fennekin ears and a tail.

Serena tried unsuccessfully to contain a giggle. "Well, what do you think..?"

"U-uh..." Ash tried to talk, but realised that for some reason he was paralysed. "Seren-"

She cut him off before he could talk, by leaping onto him for a warm embrace. The boy was still stuttering like crazy. Finally, he managed to give her a weak grin. "You're really something else, aren't you..?"

"You never told me if you liked it back then, you know!" she smiled playfully.

Ash laughed. "I like it a lot. And I love you."

She gave him a kiss. "If you win the next round, maybe I'll do something like this again..!" she teased, and Ash could help but laugh along with her. In his head, he was the luckiest person in the whole world.

He returned her hug. "_If_ I win? I can't lose with those stakes!"

* * *

Scyther, let's wrap this up with X-Scissor!" Ash commanded, pointing at the wall.

The mantis took a leap off the wall, and springboarded in front of the opposing Leavanny, who was retreating, and trying to aim a String Shot. However, Scyther's blades tore right through it and crashed head on and sent the other bug type into the dirt for a K.O. and the crowd started to cheer and whistle. Perhaps it was because if his fame or maybe they just liked to see Kanto trainers wipe the floor with everyone else.

So, by only using Bulbasaur and Scyther, Ash was now in the semifinals in the biggest Pokémon League he'd ever attended in his life.

But now was no time to get complacent. Due to the sheer number of trainers in attendance (which was nearly a thousand), Ash's next battle was scheduled for the next day, after already two days of battling, and he was starting to really feel it in his body.

He walked into the pokemon center and handed the two pokeballs to Nurse Joy, who promised to have them healed by that evening, and then he went back to his room to find Serena there waiting for him.

She had dinner prepared for him which he downed in an instant, yet constantly pausing to compliment the meal and her cooking skills.

"Say Ash, you feeling okay?" Serena asked, noticing a change in his demeanor, even if he was still jovial like usual.

"Well, this league has been pretty draining." he explained.

Serena pointed a finger upwards. "Ah! I have an idea!"

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Idea?"

"How about a nice back massage?" she beamed. Ash was more than happy to take her up on the offer, and so she lay him down and began to press into his back, causing Ash to sigh ecstatically in response.

Serena smiled, happy to help.

After a while, she decided to voice a question that had been on her mind for a while. "Ash?"

"Yeah?"

"What made you become a Pokemon trainer?"

Ash scratched his cheek. "Oh, that's easy. I've loved pokemon ever since I was a child!"

"I can see that." Serena smiled. "But battling, I mean. What was so appealing about it?"

This one made Ash himself question. Truth be told, he didn't actually know. "I guess... I never had a reason to start battling. It was probably just watching League's on TV that inspired me. But man, they're so fun, and exciting, and they get a fire in my chest that makes me feel one with my pokemon that just won't go away until I win!"

Serena couldn't help to giggle. Ash had went from his usual calm to his (also) usual excitement in seconds. That's just how much his dream meant to him. But it wasn't as if Serena didn't know how he felt; performing gave her that same emotion. It was just interesting to hear Ash's stories.

She asked about them, and he told. He had plenty to talk about, five years of journeying that Serena didn't know about. He talked about his different tournaments in the Unova region, experiences he's had with organisations like team Flare, which shocked her to know that there were more like them.

He talked about his various pokemon until he got tired. All of them had personality, in particular Serena wanted to meet his Bayleef, and all his friends as well. Human friends that is.

Soon his stories waned, and eventually he stopped telling them. Serena looked at him, to realise he had knocked himself out.

"Bless him." she whispered to herself, pulling the blanket over him and tucking into bed next to him.

Ash had been through so much, and this League could be his final step towards his dream. A lot was riding on this.

She traced his lips softly with her fingertip. "I believe in you, Ash..."

* * *

The nerves were starting to get to Ash. The semifinals, better known to Ash as his previous failure. He tried to shake off the thought, but it stuck in his mind, lingering and making him feel unsteady.

Luckily for him, Serena offered to stand by him for these next battles, which did help to calm him a little.

Ash walked into the stadium, battlefield 3-B, and waited for his opponent to show up. The first six-on-six.

Finally, another trainer entered, and faced off with Ash. A girl, with long black hair and a very laid-back smile on her face.

The referee recapped the rules to them, and they had their first six-on-six.

"On the green side, we have Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and on the red, Stephanie from Melemele Island in the Alola region!" declared the commentator in excitement. "The Alola region, eh! Now that's a first for the Indigo League! Be prepared to see some new faces!"

The name didn't ring a bell. "Alola?" he repeated aloud, albeit quietly to himself. "Does that mean pokemon that I've never seen before..?"

Surprisingly, he started to grin. "This ought to be a fun challenge!" he exclaimed loudly and the girl stared at him curiously.

Then the battle started.

Ash lead with Scyther, who positioned himself into a firm battle stance, and Ash copied his movements with determination.

Her first pokemon certainly looked powerful. It was silver with gold scales all over it, and though it wasn't as tall as Scyther it definitely was larger.

Ash heard the trainer call the name 'Kommo-o' and the move Dragon Dance so it was safe to assume that it was a dragon type.

Scyther was able to keep up with the pokemon despite having no experience with a Dragon type but he continued, and was actually trading pretty evenly. But then, Stephanie pulled an ace on Ash that he wasn't expecting - a supereffective Close Combat to knock out Scyther.

Ash recalled Scyther and switched him out for Pidgeot, hoping his hunch would pay off.

He ordered a Fly that was enough to take down Kommo-o. He grinned, being proven correct. Turns out Kommo-o was a Dragon-Fighting type.

Pidgeot then managed to scrape by against another flying type called Toucannon, before getting knocked out by a Marowak with strange colouring, which threw Ash for a loop. It took him a while to figure out it was a fire type instead of ground, so by the time the match was nearly over, both trainers were on their sixth pokemon.

Bulbasaur was already in the battlefield, slightly damaged but more than ready to continue.

Stephanie threw her last pokeball - and a large grey-brown wolf appeared from inside. It was furry, but had sharp, jagged eyes and a built demeanor. stones protruded from its collar area.

She smiled to Ash confidently. "I gotta admit you've done pretty well, but there's no getting past my Lycanroc!"

Ash grinned right back. "Well, we'll see about that, won't we?"

but in his head, "_Lycanroc? Probably another pokemon from Alola... And a wolf, too..._"

He focused, trying to come up with a strategy. So far, he had fought - and beat - five pokemon he had never seen before. If this was Stephanie's supposed trump card, then he knew it'd be best to be wary.

"_But then again..._" he wondered. "_It has rocks on its neck and 'roc' in its name... It could be that type. It'd be a huge risk but at this point it's all or nothing_."

"Lycanroc, Rock Slide let's go!"

Ash smiled. "_That says it all, then._"

"Deflect it!"

Bulbasaur then struck out a Vine Whip but instead of attacking with it he used it to block, and it lasted long enough to render the Rock Slide ineffective.

Stephanie called another Rock Slide to be met with the same outcome - or so she thought, but Ash was getting slightly concerned, because Bulbasaur's vines probably wouldn't last another attack.

However, she gave up, and ordered, "Use Crunch!"

Lycanroc was quick, but Bulbasaur was patient. Despite not evolving, it's level was still high and it's strength easy to underestimate, which is exactly what Stephanie did, ordering powerful moves to knock out Bulbasaur quickly. Ash knew it was a risky play, but he had to give it a try.

"Stand your ground Bulbasaur! You know what to do!"

And he did. Bulbasaur lowered himself into a defensive stance, and allowed the sun to flow into him, refreshing for a grass type but certainly good for him especially.

Lycanroc circled closer, and then at once, dived in to attack.

Ash pointed a finger into the sky. "Now!" he yelled. "Solar Beam!"

Bulbasaur gritted his teeth, and bared the force of a powerful Crunch attack, but managed to hold his feet for long enough to fully absorb the sun's powerful rays.

Would it be enough?

Ash inhaled in suspense and hoped.

Bulbasaur fired on Lycanroc who was much too close to even try to escape.

A direct hit, a supereffective move, and the most powerful grass type move.

The ground shook and then split. Lycanroc was tossed like litter onto the floor, completely out for the count.

And that was it - Ash would be moving onto the finals.

He charged into the center and picked up Bulbasaur, hugging him tightly, and running back to hug Serena as well, who was holding onto Pikachu for him.

Stephanie looked super shocked, but she shook it off and went up to the celebrating couple to shake Ash's hand. "Good match!" she sighed.

Ash took her hand politely. "You were tough, I'll give you that!"

She then put a finger to her chin in wonder. "So you've really never heard of the Alola region?"

Ash shook his head.

"Now there's a place you should visit if you like challenges!" she said. "It's pretty much a tropical paradise, I love it there. But there's no pokemon leagues, which is why I came here and I'm certainly not disappointed!"

Ash had stopped listening after the word 'challenge'. "Sounds awesome!" he exclaimed.

They said their goodbyes, and Ash went back to the lobby to head to stadium A with Serena, which is where the other semifinal match was ending. Whoever won that would be his opponent in the last match.

But when Ash entered the gallery, the sight he saw threw him for a loop.

A boy that Ash recognised instantaneously stood on one end of the pitch, having barely getting a victory. He pummelled the air for an exhilirant popoff, and in his other arm was a worn out Pikachu.

This boy had a green jacket on, and a blue cap on top of an auburn bedhead which resembled Ash's own hair with remarkable similarity. Someone from Ash's past; a face he would never forget.

Without thinking, Ash turned around and left the gallery, and Serena didn't realise until he had already gone.

* * *

Ash stood inside the lobby, deliberately concealing himself in a corner of the room until his final opponent stepped out, which he did to go sit down on a bench.

Ash breathed in deeply. "Hi, Ritchie."

The green-clad trainer jumped to his feet and spun around. His eyes locked in with the person who said his name, but then shock overwhelmed him all too suddenly and he did a double take. "What..? No way!"

Ash stepped into the light beaming. "It's really been a long time!"

Ritchie gaped, but slowly his mouth curved to a smile. "Wow, I can't believe it!"

He laughed and stuck out his hand. "Good to see you again, old friend!"

Ash grinned and took it. "Now this has gotta be the most fitting final in Indigo League history!" he exclaimed.

"Of course!" Ritchie agreed. "But you'd better expect that I've gotten better over these past years!"

"I don't doubt it, but so have I!" Ash responded.

"So, you travelling alone this time?"

Ash shook his head. "No, actually-"

As if on cue, Serena ran at Ash from the doors to the gallery and stopped, stooping to catch her breath. Then, she looked at Ash with a frown. "Ash, at least warn me before you run off!"

Ash scratched his head. "Oh yeah, sorry about that Serena."

He turned to Ritchie. "Hey Serena, I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine, Ritchie, and Ritchie, this is Serena."

Serena stuck out a hand which Ritchie took politely. "Nice to meet you!" she said.

Ritchie nodded. "You too!" then he turned his attention back to Ash. "I've been away from leagues for a long time, but I guess fate decided that when I come back I'd meet you here. So here's to a good battle!"

Ash grinned. "That's right."

He took a step back. "Ritchie, it's been great to see you again, but I should get some last minute training in. See you tomorrow on the battlefield!"

The boys nodded to each other, and they parted, with Serena following behind Ash.

She immediately had questions for him. "Hey, who was that?"

Ash stopped walking. "Do you remember I told you a while back that the first league tournament I ever went to, I lost because my Charizard didn't listen to me?"

Serena nodded, silently pressing him to continue.

"Well, he was my opponent in that round. He was good enough to push me down to just Charizard left, who just fell asleep and cost me my first ever tournament. But we were also good friends before that, and he helped me get over the loss, which was really nice. He's a great guy."

"So it must've been quite the coincidence to be battling him now then."

Ash scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. I'm really nervous, truth be told."

"Aha!" Serena leapt up. "I got it!"

Ash had to ask. "Huh?"

"You can train against me!" she exclaimed loudly.

Ash smiled. "You sure you're up to it?"

"You helped me train for the grand festival, so its only fair, isn't it?" she winked. "Cmon, I'll do my best!"

"Then I won't go easy on you!" Ash grinned. Serena didn't reply, just took his hand and walked him to a nearby training battlefield.

* * *

Sunrise came earlier than ever for Ash, who, with Serena's carefully made routine for him, was as prepared as he could be. And not just in the battling sense. Arguably, he felt the most refreshed he had in the longest time. She made sure he was well rested, ate well, clean, just to give him a good mentality on top of his battling skill.

Ash had gone to the PC several times to consider this finale, but in the end, he only made one switch, and that's only because Bulbasaur was exhausted and didn't want to battle anymore. He said his goodbye to Pikachu and Squirtle and Oak switched him with another of Ash's team.

So there he stood on one end of the stage, with Ritchie on the other. The air was tense, with the only sound coming from the footsteps of spectators piling into the gallery to watch the grand finals of the largest pokemon league ever.

But unlike the hypertense crowd, both trainers in the center were smiling to each other.

"Ritchie!" Ash shouted, when the air fell silent. His aim was to break the tension, but also to calm himself. "Last time we battled, I promised you the best battle ever, and I'm sorry I broke that promise."

He paused, to steady his nerves. "This time it'll be different! You can count on it!"

Ritchie nodded with a smile. The referee entered the battlefield, and explained the rules to them. A six-versus-six, substitutes allowed, et cetera.

Ash knew who he had to start with.

"Go, Happy!" Ritchie shouted while lobbing a pokeball, which contained the materialisation of the butterfly Pokémon. Instantly, a flood of memories sauntered through Ash's mind, but to his surprise, they didn't give him worry, only strength in his confidence.

Ash grabbed and threw his first pokeball. He tended not to plan battles, as plans could go wrong and it would be harder to fix. Improvisation and adaptation was his strategy. It had been since the beginning of his journey, and had been at the core of his successes, his failures, and would be the most crucial part of his battling style that would never change.

"I choose you, Pidgeot!"

The majestic bird materialised from the ball, and stood against the foe's Butterfree. The battle was on.

Sentiment over victory was something of Ash's past. He'd garnered all the knowledge he could on every aspect of battling. Pokemon types, which moves to use at which time, good positions on the battlefield... And now, he will try.

The two took to the air, and started off by exchanging blows. But Ash knew he was at an advantage here.

"Pidgeot, use Wing Attack!"

The supereffective move cut right into Butterfree, but a sheer amount of defense could keep it going. "Happy, Sleep Powder!"

The butterfly struggled above Pidgeot, but then from its wings emanated a set of spores that stopped Pidgeot dead.

Ash grimaced. "No, Pidgeot, get out of there!"

Too late. Pidgeot was now stuck within the clutches of the powder, and just like that, Pidgeot dropped and hit the ground with a thud, making it easy for Ritchie's Happy to finish it off.

"Pidgeot is unable to battle!" the referee stated, and Ash recalled Pidgeot.

"You've done really well, now get some rest." he said, and then looked at Butterfree. '_How did I win against Butterfree last time?_'

His partner tugged at his jeans. Ash looked down, and Pikachu pumped his paws and psyching himself up.

Ash grinned. "That's right! Alright then, I choose you!"

Pikachu leapt off the sidelines and into the arena, already swinging with an Iron Tail which batted Butterfree onto the floor, dazed, but not unconscious.

"Now, go!" Ash yelled, and Pikachu charged forwards, electricity buzzing from his cheeks.

"Not this time!" retorted Ritchie. "Happy, Tackle attack!"

The two pokemon traded hits, Quick Attack against Tackle, and the fastest move came out victorious. Butterfree had sustained too much damage to continue.

"Butterfree is unable to battle!"

Ritchie soothed the butterfly gently, then switched it out, throwing another pokeball onto the stage. "Okay Cruise, lets go!"

The pokeball hit the floor and opened, and out of it burst a huge green pokemon which towered over Pikachu. This was one battle that Ash had seen before, only last year in fact.

Ash smiled to himself. "That's pretty funny. I've been in this exact same situation before."

Tyranitar versus Pikachu - just like his battle against Alain.

Then, a sandstorm came into effect. Just as before. "Okay, Pikachu, can you go on?"

Pikachu was fired up at this point. They had won last time after all.

However, as Ash came to realise, Alain and Ritchie had very different battling strategies, and Ash found it hard to adapt to.

"Cruise, use Earthquake!"

"Pikachu, get on him!"

The lightning mouse obliged, and ran as fast as he could, and began to climb onto the Tyranitar's back. Cruise tried to shake him off to no avail, and thus Pikachu narrowly avoided what could've been a KO.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted, and Pikachu did so, shocking Tyranitar for heavy damage. But it wasn't over yet.

"Tyranitar, fall!" Ritchie said, and Ash's eyes widened.

Tyranitar toppled backwards while still being shocked, and while it injured its own back from the fall, Pikachu was crushed underneath.

The electricity died down, and Tyranitar staggered slowly back onto its feet. Pikachu had fainted.

Ash ran into the midst and picked up his fallen ally. "Hey buddy, you did great out there."

Pikachu opened his eyes and groaned, trying to smile back.

"Just get some rest, 'kay?" Ash told him, and put him down next to him.

He grabbed another pokeball off his belt, but to his surprise he saw the Tyranitar disappear in a flash of light as well. Looks like Ritchie was making a substitute. Ash sighed. He had to hand it to Ritchie, he was smart. But Ash was confident in himself also. Besides, Serena was behind him, silently cheering him on. He had all he needed.

He threw the ball. "Okay, go Squirtle!"

Two water types appeared in front of each other. One, a sea turtle and the other, a squid which Ash recognised as a Tentacruel.

They both started off with Hydro Pump, but then Squirtle charged in for a Skull Bash.

Tentacruel aimed a Bubblebeam, but to Ritchie's dismay Squirtle was just too fast.

Still, Ash had a trick up his sleeve, not wanting to take any chances. "Squirtle, Withdraw and then use Water Gun!"

Again, when Ritchie ordered another Bubblebeam, it only bounced off of Squirtles hardened shell which he had retreated into. Then, Squirtle fired a jet of water out of a hole in his shell that propelled him at insane speed at Tentacruel then into the air. He popped out his head, tail and limbs, sailing right above the squid pokemon.

Ash didn't give Ritchie any time to react. "Skull Bash!"

At that velocity and with Squirtle's uncanny strength for a pokemon of its evolution stage, smacked right into the tentacruel to render it unconscious.

"Tentacruel is unable to battle!"

Ritchie did another switch, and Ash found himself faced against the Tyranitar once again.

Ash frowned. There must've been a reason why Ritchie was deliberately putting himself at a type disadvantage.

"Squirtle, Withdraw!"

"Cruise, use Thunder Fang!"

That was it - why Ritchie substituted Tyranitar. Ash gritted his teeth as he watched Squirtle hide within his shell only to have to tank a heavy electrocution.

Squirtle was tossed to the side, and poked his head out of his shell, clearly hurt but still able to go on.

"Squirtle, you okay?!" Ash called out. Squirtle nodded, and Ash breathed a sigh of relief. "Then use Hydro Pump and get as close as you can!"

Squirtle retreated into his shell once again, and use the agility of the shell to propel him quickly. then he jumped, lifting his head out to spray Tyranitar in a large torrent of water.

Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be enough. The rock-type was just too bulky.

"Keep circling and using Hydro Pump!"

"Earthquake!"

Both attacks made their mark, and did a heavy toll on both of them.

Ash had to think fast. How can he defeat Tyranitar without getting Squirtle knocked out first..?

There was one way, but Ash had already seen the risks with Pikachu.

But there could be no other way.

"Squirtle, get on Tyranitar, but onto his side!"

The blue turtle took a deep breath, and darted at Tyranitar, leaping up to grab hold of an arm. Tyranitar tried to shake off the second pokemon of that day to no avail.

Ritchie grimaced. But then he slapped a fist against his palm. "Aha! Use Hyper Beam, Cruise!"

The Tyranitar opened his mouth wide to charge a huge orange beam at his own arm, in an effort to complete knock out the turtle on it.

Squirtle avoided it, very narrowly, by jumping into a spike on Tyranitar's back. Unfortunately, this was exactly where Ritchie wanted him.

"Cruise, fall again!"

Ash's eyes widened. "Get off him, now!"

Tyranitar fell backwards, weight pulling him towards the floor quickly...

Too quickly, and Squirtle could not jump off in time. Just like Pikachu, smothered.

Ash screwed his face in worry. Squirtle was strong, but it would take a miracle for him to withstand it.

Ash stared at the scene, biting his lip tensely.

Tyranitar was on the floor, clearly extremely weakened, especially after landing on Squirtle's tough shell. As for the turtle himself...

Not even visible. He was completely smothered, and even Ash doubted that he was conscious.

But then, the still reeling Tyranitar moved slightly.

Ash's eyes widened. Ritchie did a double take.

Because right then, the huge mountain pokemon was lifted slightly from underneath, and from underneath Squirtle was actually still not visible. Instead, his figure was replaced by a blinding light.

The light became gradually brighter and larger, and then dissipated instantaneously, replaced by a blue figure. Squirtle?

No, not even Squirtle had the strength to lift up a pokemon of that size. So how, Ash wondered, was he doing it..?

A shell crawled out from under the green beast. Its head poked out, and Ash was met faced to face with a different pokemon. One that he knew.

Covered in scrapes and smiling at him weakly, was a much bigger water turtle - the Wartortle.

Ash gaped. Then his open mouth slowly curved into a massive grin.

"Squirtle, no, Wartortle!" he cried, and ran forward into the ring, giving his newly evolved friend a hug.

The referee ran forward and sternly told him off for being in the battlefield, so he went back, but still smiled at his water type.

But Tyranitar wasn't finished yet. He struggled to one knee, and then the other.

"Well Wortortle, let's finish this!" Ash shouted, and the turtle dashed forward, aiming a Skull Bash attack right at Tyranitar which made its mark and toppled the mountain beast.

"Tyranitar is-" began the ref, but he was interrupted by another, quieter but still quite loud thud.

Wartortle had fallen on his back, and had dizzy spirals in his eyes.

"Both pokemon are unable to battle!" the referee stated instead.

Ash went back out to pick up his fallen turtle.

Wartortle woke up in his arms, and Ash smiled. The water turtle was one of his oldest friends, and to see him finally evolve after being reunited with him after such a long time, was breathtaking.

"You were awesome out there, Wartortle!" he grinned, pulling out a pokeball. "Leave it to me, and get some rest for now."

Wartortle smiled back, and knocked out in his arms once more. His rest would be well deserved.

Ash recalled him, and threw his next pokeball to reveal one of his newly befriended pokemon. "Scyther, I choose you!"

He tossed the pokeball, and quickly the mantis was ready for action.

Ritchie also readied and then threw his next one. "Go, Rose!"

He threw his pokeball, and out appeared a Swellow looking proud and intimidating.

Ash's eyebrows lowered. Being pitted immediately with yet another major disadvantage would be difficult. But not impossible.

"Scyther, Air Slash!"

Scyther went in immediately, straight at the Swellow. However, because he was in its line of sight, Swellow was able to counter his attack with its own, and before he knew it he had been pulled into a frolic from all sides, being slashed at himself within a puff of smoke by the bird.

Ash was taken aback. But, he still maintained a grin which unnerved his foe. Then, he called out to Scyther, "Use Feint!"

Scyther then ribbed the Swallow pokemon, his move causing a purple bang that sent Swellow flying out of the smoke cloud. However, she was still flying easily enough; she wasn't going down that easily.

"Scyther, keep up that pressure! Air Slash, go!"

To that, The large mantis dashed up to the bird, and raised a sharp limb to strike - however, Swellow managed to avoid it by sauntering higher and higher up until it was unreachable to Scyther.

"Now use X-Scissor!" he commanded, and Scyther jumped up high, crossing his scythes out in front of him.

"Gust Attack!" shouted Ritchie.

Swellow dived a little, then sent huge bursts of air blasting Scyther back down to the ground.

Ash cringed, once again caught off guard. "_Gah, now's not the time to get complacent. Think!_" he told himself. And then, when he looked to the sky and saw how far away the opponent was, a brainwave surged through his head.

'_If it worked _once...' he thought, thinking back to his first round victory.

He turned around to face Scyther. "Use Swords Dance!"

Ritchie looked confused. Then, he noticed Swellow, in no position to attack, and his eyes widened.

"Rose, quick!" he cried. "Aerial Ace!"

Scyther released a set of swords made entirely of energy, and they spun around him, to boost his critical hits. But it took time. The question is, could he do it before Swellow reached him?

The bird descended quickly, making a V in the sky where it cut through the air behind it. But to Ash's horror, she was too quick. She reached his pokemon just as Swords Dance had ended and Scyther couldn't defend at all.

Swellow rammed him, and the hit smashed him hard into the wall.

The referee went over to check, and nodded to himself when he saw the state of the bug type. "Scyther is unable to battle!"

Ash recalled him, but he was still 100 percent determined despite being down by one for the entire march. He took his next pokeball in hand - "Eevee, let's do this!"

His pokeball hit the ground and the small dog appeared in front of him.

Eevee looked around. He had been with Ash long enough to trust him at this point, and Ash was constantly impressed by Eevee's capabilities in battling.

From out of nowhere, a flash of light appeared behind Ash. He turned around, and noticed Sylveon standing by Serena.

"She let herself out of her pokeball!" Serena explained. "I bet she wants to watch Eevee battle!"

Ash looked at Sylveon with a smile. Then he realised.

Memories of Clemont and Bonnie flashed in his mind, and their adventures around Kalos.

And Sylveon was actually the one of Serena's pokemon that had soothed him, and gave him the courage to ask Serena out. If it hadn't been for Sylveon's encouragement...

He noticed Serena beaming proudly, and he felt her love for him bringing him strength. And he knew it had always been like that, since the day Ash figured out his feelings.

Ash smiled back, and turned back to the battle at hand. "Eevee, you ready?" he said and received a nod in reply.

"Rose, use Gust!"

"Combat it with Swift!" Ash ordered.

Eevee jumped forward and spun around, firing off a barrage of stars which collided with Swellow's wind.

Then, a few stars broke through and actually managed to hit her.

Swellow lost her balance and fell out of the air. Ritchie gasped, and it was all over.

"Swellow is unable to battle!"

Ritchie looked shocked, but then he shook his head and smiled.

He took out a pokeball, and recalled his fainted bird.

"You've got a strong Eevee, Ash!" Ritchie commented. Then he stared at the next pokeball in his hand, topped with a worn and tattered star sticker that showed how long he had it for.

"Zippo, go!"

The pokeball hit the floor, and burst open. a flash of blue light took the shape of a huge pokemon, and even before the light dissipated Ash knew who it was.

Ash used to know it as a tiny Charmander six years ago, but now a much larger Charizard towered over himself and Eevee. But this was still anyone's match.

"Eevee, use Tackle!"

"Zippo, Slash!"

Eevee and Charizard traded attacks evenly and took pretty much the same amount of damage, but Ash could tell at this rate, Eevee would run out of steam long before Charizard did. So he thought hard, and soon an idea came to mind.

"Eevee, get back!" Ash shouted, and he obeyed by stopping dead in its tracks and edging away from the huge fire type.

"Aha!" exclaimed Ritchie. "You won't be able to escape Fire Spin!"

However, Ash grinned unexpectedly, and Ritchie reared back with a sudden sinking feeling in his chest.

"Now!" Ash shouted. "Use Protect!"

But just then, something that both Ash and Ritchie could not predict just happened.

Eevee turned and faced Charizard, and instead of using Protect, instead glowed with a yellow tinge and charged directly into the Flamethrower, and tore through it completely, to knock into Charizard, bowling the massive dragon over.

Ash stood there agape, as Ritchie was primarily concerned over if his Charizard was okay - which he was, despite taking a heavy Double Edge.

Eevee stood on all fours, singed from the burns and wobbly.

And just like that, he passed out.

Ash was frozen. What just happened? Did Eevee just defy his orders and use Double Edge instead of Protect?

But why?

Ash reached for Eevee's pokeball and he recalled the brown dog.

That incident right there shook him to his core. Because it had happened to him once, where his teammate had not listened to him in the middle of the set, and only once before, in the exact same stadium, and it left him defeated.

Ash steeled himself. That's right; he still had one more pokemon left; It was not over yet.

'_So no giving up until its over._'

Ash held the last pokeball in his hand, and entrusted in it, the last of his hope, faith, and trust.

"Go!

Charizard!"

The crowd went wild around Ash and Ritchie. After all, there were two giants standing off against each other, for the glory of the tournament.

"Ritchie!" Ash yelled.

Ritchie jerked his head up, intrigued. "Ash, I hope for your sake that you've gotten through to Charizard!"

Ash raised his head towards his first ever fully evolved pokemon. Then he grinned, and Charizard grinned back, holding back the urge to toast Ash mockingly.

"Ritchie, this battle will show you just how much I've grown as a trainer! I hope you're ready!"

Ritchie nodded and enthusiasm returned to his voice. "I'm always ready! Zippo, use Dragon Breath!"

"Flamethrower!"

The moves clashed and subsided. Both sides were untouched.

The two pokemon were not making it easy for each other. But Zippo, having been injured by Eevee, was already not in a good position. And Ritchie could tell.

"Use Fire Spin!"

A wreath of harsh flame formed a twister in front of Zippo and was thrusted at Charizard who was forced to bear the brunt of it.

Ash clenched his teeth. It wasn't off to a good start. "No!" he grimaced. "Wing Attack!"

Charizard roared, and - even while still taking damage - managed to sail close enough to Zippo and land an attack.

Ash could see it - Zippo was struggling now. And Ritchie was beginning to panic.

"We gotta end this quickly, Zippo!" He yelled. "Finish this with an Inferno!"

Ash punched out in front of him with a fist. "Not a chance! Charizard, Flare Blitz lets go!"

Zippo was preparing a devastating fire attack - but Ash's Charizard was simply faster. He became streaked in blue flame, and shot forward to ram his enemy and leave him lying on the ground.

The referee stepped forward. "Ritchie's Charizard is unable to battle!"

This was it. One pokemon left each side.

Ritchie returned Charizard and placed the ball back on his belt, hesitating slightly from the nerves.

It was understandable. Even Ash himself was shaking.

Ritchie took a deep breath in, and focused.

He closed his eyes, and threw his last pokemon. "Sparky, go!"

Ash recognised that nickname instantly.

The pokeball hit the floor, and out burst some blue light which took the form of a small yellow rat.

Ash looked at Sparky - it could've been identical to his Pikachu if it weren't for the scruff of fur on its head and the higher pitched voice.

"You feeling déjà vu right about now?" Ritchie said with a laugh.

Ash raised an eyebrow, and just then it clicked that though these were the finals, he would be facing off with a friend.

"Our last battle together?" Ash chuckled. "Sure am. But now, it's come down all this way, so you know how it is."

He looked at Charizard and then after a nod, back to Ritchie. "May the better trainer win!"

Ritchie flashed a smirk. "You bet! Okay Sparky, use Thunder!"

The sky darkened as clouds appeared like magic, and from them shot several lightning strikes, one of which was sure to hit Charizard.

He staggered back and tanked the blow.

"Grr..." Ash grimaced. "Flamethrower!"

Once again, the moves traded and the two trainers found themselves sapping away at each other's strength.

"_Wing Attack is too weak against Pikachu. Flamethrower leaves Charizard open. It's too risky to Flare Blitz now._"

Ash's face screwed up as his eyebrows furrowed deep into his forehead. Unconsciously he gripped the rim of his cap as he gave what was the only option left to him.

"Dragon Tail!"

Charizard shrugged the storm cloud off with a burly wing and charged at Pikachu as his tail glowed green. However, Ritchie was ready.

"Dodge and use Iron Tail!"

While Charizard was quick in spite of his size, Pikachu was bound to be quicker regardless. Sparky narrowly slid under the powerful and potentially finishing tail swing and his own tail glowed with a silver shimmer. This tail became tough as steel and damaged Charizard even further.

Ash questioned himself. "_What options do I have if Charizard gets outsped.._?"

"Follow it up with another Iron Tail!" Ritchie ordered.

The penny dropped.

Pikachu had nowhere to run.

"Charizard, into the sky!" urged Ash. Ritchie stared at him, trying to figure out his plan. Because flying would definitely drain Charizard's energy more.

Pikachu jumped up - and could not reach Charizard. Just like that, he fell back down, right below Charizard, and most importantly, helplessly.

This was what Ash had been waiting for - to catch Ritchie and Sparky while they were wide open.

"Now!" Ash yelled, and Charizard knew exactly what to do as he took a dive, headfirst at the freefalling Pikachu.

"Dragon Tail!"

Ritchie tried his last. "Thunder!"

Pikachu's cheeks sparked, and a cloud appeared yet again, above the two descending pokemon.

Ash inhaled.

A bolt of lightning smashed into Charizard from behind causing him to crash hard into Pikachu as the two pokemon hit the ground at such velocity that an explosion occured which sent dirt and debris kicking up around them, so thick that not even Ash and Ritchie could see them.

But the question was, who survived..?

The battlefield was still while the dust was spinning at a clumsy attempt to settle down.

Ash could barely make out a green glow. Then, he heard a loud bang, and suddenly, Sparky the Pikachu flew out of the dust cloud and smashed against a wall at such a force that it cracked.

The dust bowl finally calmed down to reveal Charizard standing there, his tail emphasising a green glow that was fading away.

The referee ran over to Pikachu, implanted in a wall.

His moments of hesitation lasted forever for the anticipating crowd, not to mention the two trainers biting their lips from tension.

"Pikachu... Is unable to battle!" announced the referee through a microphone. "Charizard is the victor, so our Indigo League victor is none other than Ash Ketchum!"

Stunned silence. Then, Ash's brain registered the words.

A singular tear rolled down his cheek, but his smile returned to him and he punched a shaky fist into the air joyously. "Yeeess!" he screamed.

Pikachu next to him was equally celebratory, and was dancing like mad, jumping and spinning from the high of it all.

Ash immediately ran forward and tackled his Charizard. "You did it, Charizard! You were amazing out there!"

Charizard was staggered, winded and exhausted but above that he was exhilarated. It didn't last long though as he collapsed on top of Ash only seconds after. The boy didn't mind, however, because he sat there laughing.

It took him a while to get his breath back, and he didn't really care that the entire stadium was watching this scene. When he did finally calm down, he heard a voice call out to him.

"Ash, are you alright down there?"

It was Ritchie's voice. He saw a hand reaching for him, and Ash took it and he was pulled - very slowly out from underneath his massive dragon friend.

Ash came face to face with Ritchie, and the first thing he noticed was that there was tears streaming down his face, yet he was still smiling.

"You definitely kept your promise..!" he laughed, though his voice was breaking.

Ash didn't know what to say. But then he flashed his old friend a smile, and held out his hand.

Ritchie looked at the hand and then back to Ash, then smiled back, taking it. But suddenly Ash pulled him into a bro-hug unexpectedly.

"Thanks for the battle, Ritchie."

"You too, Ash."

The two rivals looked at each other once more, and slowly Ritchie turned and walked away.

There was only one person left with Ash.

He turned around to face her.

"Serena!" he shouted, stretching out his arms. I won, I really did it!"

He hesitated, and shook his head. "Thank you!"

Serena's eyes went wide, and without thinking she sprinted forward and dived into his arms.


	21. Chapter 20 continued

Ash stepped outside after the League had ended and Serena had gone to sleep in their Pokémon Center room. The prize money was sent to his home, and he was 'cordially invited' by Bertha onstage to take on the Champion's League in Kanto, something that only a few years back was only a distant dream.. His trophy was placed carefully in his bag beside Serena's by their bed. But what was he doing up so late?

Well, as it turns out, he had been sent a message from a friend, though this 'friend' didn't exactly say who they were. All he said was to meet him outside the Indigo Plateau at 10pm, alone.

Clearly Ash was suspicious right off the bat, so he came out sporting all of his pokeballs but with Charizard out and by his side, as well as Pikachu of course.

He sat down on a bench, and waited for the other party to arrive. It took about a few extra minutes, but Ash was put at ease when he realised he could recognise the face instantly.

"Hey!" he exclaimed loudly, getting up. "It's you!"

Standing in front of him was a friend he made in Kalos, who had a ginger afro and an affinity for photography. Trevor.

Trevor smiled nervously back at him. His usual demeanor. "Surprise! But actually, that memo I sent was really suspicious, so I'm glad you actually gave me the benefit of the doubt."

Ash chuckled. "Yeah, I took out Charizard thinking it was a trap... Wait, where'd Charizard go?"

He turned around quizzically, to see his Charizard staring down another one.

Ash groaned. "No, Charizard! Get back here, that's a friend!"

Charizard, still facing the other with glowering eyes, lumbered back to Ash's side.

"Anyway," Trevor continued, "I have something to give you. I don't use it at all because I completely stopped battling now, but I can tell you you're gonna give it more use than I ever had."

Ash tilted his head to get Trevor to continue but the latter only reached into his bag and pulled out to objects which he placed in each of Ash's hands.

Ash choked. "Wait, for real?!"

Trevor nodded. "Really. I was gonna give 'em to Professor Sycamore otherwise."

Ash grinned hugely. "If you're sure, then thanks a lot, Trevor! I'll be sure to put it to good use!"

Trevor returned his smile. "Then he looked at Ash, unsure. "Hey, can i ask you for a favour?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Can I take a picture of your Pidgeot?"

Ash facepalmed but couldn't help but grin. "Sure, why not. Still working on that photo album?"

"Yeah!" Trevor paused and looked at Ash questioningly. "By the way, where's Serena?"

"She's probably fast asleep." Ash said. Then he added, "I hope so, at least. I don't wanna worry her about where I went or anything."

"Well, tell her Shauna, Tierno and I said hi!"

Trevor turned to leave. "You two seem like a perfect couple, though."

Ash smiled. "Thanks. I... I really can't believe it myself. But this has been the best year of my life. I owe it to her."

Trevor waved and walked off, leaving Ash to his thoughts.

With nothing else to do that night, he returned Charizard and headed back to the Pokemon Center to see his sleeping girlfriend again.

He tucked himself in beside her and fell happily to sleep.

* * *

**Hey, everyone, Jay here! I bet some of you are wondering, why did you include this tiny segment as a separate chapter? Well, the answer is pretty simple. It felt nice to end last chapter so wholesomely but I needed this important segment to go between now and when Ash challenges Red (yes, that's right, I'll be skipping the Elite Four mainly because they're just a game buildup before the champion****). Ash needed to receive this gift from Trevor so that he _could_ take on Red. By now it might be obvious what that is, but it'll be confirmed next week..!**

**Anyway asides from that, I want to explain myself for last chapter because it was so long. let's break it down into the parts you may be wondering about.**

**Why bring Ritchie back? The reason for that was that I so do not like making OCs in fanfictions. It's hard enough to give them a personality that people will care enough to like, so that's why you saw Jeison and Stephanie (made up and based on both me and the friend who introduced me to Pokémon) get as little mention as i could. Ritchie is a character you all know from the OG days. His character development is already laid out on a plate, and it would be fitting to see him take on Ash as a rematch, so I made it happen. fanfictions have the word 'fiction' in it for a reason (Though I damn well wish amourshipping had continued...)**

**Reviews:**

Magic135: I like the idea of Ash having an Eevee, I wonder what it'll evolve into.

**Whew, I'm glad you said that. I cant lie, I wasn't sure if that scene was too forced, but I also really wanted Ash to catch an Eevee. It helped for Serena to have one herself :)**

**Be sure to write me reviews if you have any critics, questions or even praise, because even if I don't reply to them all, let me reassure you that I read them _all_, and I mean that. Those reviews mean a lot to me.**

**So anyway thank you for reading and i will see you in the next chapter! It's gonna be a big one.**


	22. Chapter 21: Challenges of Fate

**Authors note: Oh, btw it's my birthday in literally one hour :) I've asked for Rescue Team DX. I'm also uploading an EP to bandcamp under the name Shed Dust. Be sure to check it out if you like melodeath!**

* * *

**Chapter 21: Challenges of Fate**

* * *

"Congratulations, Ash. You've beaten the elite four."

A tall man in a red cloak and spiky red hair extended a hand to Ash, who took it graciously.

"Thanks, Lance." he replied.

Lance frowned. "However, if you wanted to become the champion of Kanto, you'd have to find Red. And that'll be a challenge."

Ash tilted his head. "Huh? Red isn't here?"

"No." he told him. "He's been training on the top of Mt. Silver for years, and he essentially never leaves. In fact, nobody's ever challenged him, I bet.

Very few trainers can beat all of the elite four. The ones that do couldn't get past the dungeons."

Ash scratched his head, evidently confused. "Dungeons?"

"The dungeons I'm talking about are a kind of unknown phenomena that only occurs on Mt. Silver and Mt. Coronet in Sinnoh." Lance explained. "We call them dungeons, but it's more like a trick room. You can find all sorts of berries and food items there, but there are also gear and weird orbs that only pokemon can use."

Ash didn't look too fazed by this explanation, so Lance continued. "Red lives at the summit of this mysterious dungeon - but the middle floors are dangerous. There are hostile pokemon on every floor, and if you collapse in a dungeon you get kicked back to the starting point, not to mention losing everything that you had on you."

"That's insane." Ash said, trying not to sound too cliche. "How can something like that exist?"

Lance only shrugged. However, his disturbed expression soon was replaced by a smile. "Well, I thank you for the battle, and here's recognition of your win!"

His Dragonite leaned over and presented Ash with a large frame. Ash gasped as he inspected it. A golden pokeball lay in its center and the name 'Ash Ketchum' was written underneath it.

"If you become the champion, then this'll go up in the hall of champions, along with your picture and the pokemon you took to beat Red." Lance winked. "Good luck!"

* * *

Ash walked out to the edge of Victory Road where his girlfriend was waiting for him with a smile on her face. "Ash!" she cried. "How'd it go?"

Ash grinned, which told her all she needed to know - she jumped for joy and ran over to embrace him. "I knew you could do it!" she said. "The champion of Kanto!"

To this, Ash broke away with a more solemn look. "Actually, no. Not yet, honey."

Her face fell. "Wait, what do you mean? I thought you fought the elite four and champion..?"

"I beat the elite four, but Red the champion wasn't there. He's apparently on Mt. Silver, which is the mountain Kanto and Johto's border."

Serena patted him on the shoulder. "Well, let's get you some rest and a nice hot bath, and then we can head out there as soon as you're ready!"

Ash smiled. "That sounds great."

* * *

The next morning, the couple got up much earlier than usual - so early the sun had barely started to rise. Ash went to the PC to get his pokemon from Oak's lab, and picked his five.

When he had done so, Serena took his hand and they left from the Indigo Plateau to Silver Town, and by the time they had reached the base of Mt. Silver, it had already gone afternoon.

They scanned the entrance to the internal caverns in the mountain.

"According to Lance," Ash started, the caverns should have staircases that'll lead to the summit."

"We'd best stay on our guard." said Serena with hard eyes. She knew she couldn't have prepared for what was in store, so her nerves were playing on her slightly, but having Ash by her side boosted her courage. "This sure is a strange way to spend your birthday, don't you think?"

Ash chuckled. "Perhaps. But I like adventure." he said simply.

Serena couldn't argue with that logic, and so they went in.

The first few floors they passed with no trouble. Occasionally they would come across and pick up a few items, berries and et cetera, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Then, on the sixth floor, Serena stopped to have a break, and Ash checked around the room they were in for items. "Hey look! There's one of those orbs!" he exclaimed.

Serena leaned over to see a blue sphere in Ash's hand. For some reason, Pikachu was oddly moved by it, and he snatched it from Ash to inspect it.

Ash was about to protest, but Pikachu held it up, and it suddenly glowed white, lighting up the dank surroundings. All of a sudden, the trio could visualise the layout of the entire floor in their minds. The orb also disappeared without a trace, leaving the group speechless.

"Whoa." Ash breathed finally. "This place is weird."

Serena couldn't agree more. They kept on moving, floor by floor, until at last they came across a pair of pokemon.

"They don't look pretty friendly!" Ash warned. "Get ready!"

Serena threw a pokeball, just in time for the first pokemon - a Beedrill, to lunge at them both while a Venomoth lined up behind it, readying an attack.

Pikachu and Popstar crouched on all fours next to each other.

"Quick Attack!"

"Volt Tackle!"

The Pikachus both dashed into the flying-bug types, and the two of them combined could one hit KO them. They got back onto their trainer's shoulders, who continued to walk onwards through the cavern, while Ash casually remarked to Serena how much of a maze it was.

But fortunately for them, it wasn't long until they reached a long hallway, rested on a slope leading up.

They stopped. In front of them was a statue. Ash moved in closer to inspect the statue. "Hey, this is a Kangaskhan statue!" he exclaimed. "I wonder what it does..?"

Serena shrugged. "Well, we've come pretty far. We must be close to the summit by now."

And she was right. One floor (and one small battle) afterwards and they reached the open and saw the sky.

Serena gasped with relief. "Fresh air!"

Ash seemed pleased too. He looked around. "Hey, this is the summit!"

He looked around himself. There was no way to go further up. "Hello?!" he yelled, and Serena could tell who he was calling out for.

"If there's someone there, please show yourselves!"

No reply. However, a shadow moved in Ash's peripheral vision, and his head jerked towards the movement.

A silhouette sat on the edge of a cliff and Ash could just about make out the faintest outline of a human figure, getting to its feet.

Ash moved closer to this figure, and Serena went behind him.

"Are you the champion?" Ash asked. Again, no reply, but by the way he looked at Ash, it was clear he had his attention. The figure gave a single nod.

Ash's eyebrows lowered. This was Red, and his final battle that could make him the pokemon master he had always dreamt of being. There was no turning back now. Not with his pokémon, and not with Serena by his side.

Ash presented his trophy. "I beat Lance and the rest of the elite four! So now, I challenge you, Red, to a battle!"

Red didn't answer him, as per usual. Instead, he was watching Ash intently, wearing an aloof expression that put Ash on edge.

However, he swallowed his nerves. "Well? Do you accept?"

"What's your name?"

Ash was not a person who was easily spooked. He had been inside haunted houses too many times to count, faced countless ghost types and scares, and was pretty much desensitised to any thriller scare. However, this voice was enough to startle him completely. It sounded unused, rusty. Loud, and yet emotionless. The man's demeanor seemed identical to Ash's, even down to the facial features and attire being similar, but it chilled Ash, and he couldn't tell why. He looked to Serena; by her face he could tell that she felt exactly the same.

"I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town!" he replied.

Red's eyes narrowed. "I see."

He paused, and turned around, as if basking in the view of the region from the peak of Mt. Silver. On one side of this mountain was Johto, and on the other was where they had all started from; Kanto.

He turned back to Ash with a warm smile, which surprised him completely. "I accept your challenge, Ash."

Then, to himself, "It's been a long time."

Serena was surprised - and a little worried - that they were going to battle right there and then. But she stood back regardless, ready to cheer Ash on.

The two men took their places, and held one pokeball in their hands. "You challenged me, so I choose the rules." Red explained firmly. "A six versus six sound good to you?"

Ash nodded, stoically yet cautiously. "Charizard, I choose you!"

He lobbed a pokeball, and then an orange giant stood between him and his scarlet-clad doppelganger.

Red inspected the growling dragon with curiosity. Then he tossed his own pokeball, and from it's blue and white light stood another Charizard, facing off against the other.

"I thought I'd use Charizard last," Red started, "but this seems like too good an opportunity. Let's do this."

Ash couldn't help but grin. "Don't mind if I do! Charizard, use Flamethrower!"

His Charizard was actually a slight taller than Red's, so they faced off against each other, and then both stepped back quickly, a jet of flames shooting from Ash's pokemon's mouth.

Reds Charizard, however, managed to withstand the move easily. Ash grimaced.

Red then nodded to his Charizard, who then produced it's own Fire Blast attack that hit Charizard and must've inflicted a bit of damage.

Ash had to think quickly. "_His Charizard knows exactly what he's is thinking at all times. Which means I gotta play unpredictable and force that Red to speak._"

Aloud, he called: "Charizard, into the air, now!"

Red raised an eyebrow when the opposing Charizard took off; his own did the same.

Ash watched carefully. "Okay, Wing Attack!"

Charizard moved closer to Charizard, and with his wings glowing with white tinges, knocked into the other and dealt a bit more damage. However, Red did not seemed concerned - and to Ash's dismay, neither did Red's pokemon.

Red snapped his fingers, and Charizard moved in quickly, and used Mega Punch on Ash's Charizard. However, Ash's hastily dodged it by sidestepping.

The champion was impressed, and Ash grinned. "My Charizard's been training in the Charizific Valley! It's got more than just power!"

Red smiled back. "This should be more interesting, then! Charizard, use Slash!"

"Counter it with a Dragon Tail!" urged Ash.

The two huge lizards stepped up to each other, and their respective moves both connected and dealt a great deal of damage. However, the two powerhouses did not give an inch.

They backed away from each other, when Ash noticed a band on Reds Charizard's wrist. And then, noticed what that bracelet was.

His eyes widened as they processed a double helix within the center. A Mega Stone.

"Red!" Ash called out. "Is that bracelet..?"

Red smirked. "Ah, you've noticed. But it was only a matter of time, after all."

Ash grinned. "This match should really heat up then!"

And with that, he grabbed the rim of his cap, and spun it to face back to front. But this wasn't like his old days. Now, he twisted his cap for a different reason.

The back of his cap contained a similar stone to the one on Red's Charizard. Serena saw it, and did a double take.

That stone wasn't there before.

"Ash!" She shouted. "When did you get..?"

"A gift from a friend of ours! Don't worry, this'll make it all clear."

He took a deep breath, and slowly but readily touched the stone on the cap.

The stone started to glow, and beams of light suddenly burst from it, seeking to find a complementary mega stone. And it found that stone, on a band around his Charizard's tail.

A light overcame Charizard, and when it dissipated, Charizard had transformed into a bulkier version of himself, a Mega Charizard Y!

Red grinned with surprised eyes. "Now that's one I haven't seen before! But if it's anything like mine, I know I gotta take you pretty seriously!"

He delved into his pocket, and pulled out his own key stone to let it react with the mega stone in much the same way.

This time, the stone reacted with his own Charizard, and the same process happened, but turning the dragon black and blue coloured.

The two Mega variants of Charizard stared each other down. They seemed like equals, but which one would triumph?

"Use Flamethrower!" shouted Ash.

Both pokemon breathed out flames, one orange and one blue, which collided and neutralised against each other but still no sign of any giving in.

The two fought head to head, claw against claw, and each side dealt blow after blow to each other. But these close combat, high intensity battling is what Ash and Charizard were used to.

"Okay buddy, let's show them what we've got!" said Ash. "Use Wing Attack, and aim for the wings!"

Charizard obliged, steeling his own wings and preparing to attack. He hesitated, to make his foe lower their guard, and then dashed.

"Block it, then use Mega Punch!" Red ordered, finally speaking. Ash nodded to himself. It was working.

Red's command came too late, so Charizard's attack hit its mark, but his own Charizard managed to still land the Mega Punch before then staggering back from the pain.

Charizard Y bared his fangs, refusing to show how much the punch had hurt. Ash was concerned though, because he knew that Charizard wouldn't be able to tank for much longer. They had to finish this quickly, and there was only one way he could do that.

And an idea came to him on how he would get that scenario to work.

"Charizard!" he yelled. "Fly up high!"

Red's eyes were narrow. "After him, Charizard!"

The two took to the skies, orange and then black, and were immediately specks to the two trainers below.

Ash waited, and then he yelled again. "Now back down!"

"What are you planning.?!" Red questioned, rhetorically of course, but then he watched Ash's hit the ground, and noticed his own slow down, and the penny dropped. "Ah!"

A huge grin spread on Ash's face. "Gotcha! Flare Blitz!"

A blue flame overwhelmed the orange Charizard, matching the flames emanating from the other. However, this huge wreath of flame darted straight for Red's like a cannonball, and made contact just like one too.

It caused a small explosion, making the ground quake heavily, and Ash and Serena had to cover their eyes to stop dust from hitting them.

Both Charizard's were weak, but still standing.

The orange one took a step back. Ash held his breath.

Then, both creatures wobbled, and both started to fall over. Déjà vu started to appear in Ash's head, as he realised how similar the scene was to the end of the Silver League.

However, the orange Mega landed on his knee, and stayed conscious through sheer willpower. The black, not so lucky, and it fell to the ground, to have fainted.

Ash jumped for joy, and gave Charizard a high five as he transformed back to normal. "Man, you were awesome, one hundred percent!"

He looked at Red, who was waking his fainted partner.

Suddenly, the man started to grin. "Aha." he mused. "I see now. You truly are a good opponent."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Uh, thanks?"

Red pointed a finger, winking. "Tell me, do you know what IVs and EVs are?"

Ash shook his head, confusion evident, so Red continued. "How about stats? Natures?"

Ash did nod once, though he still felt quite unsure. "A nature is just a pokemon's personality, isn't it?"

Red couldn't help but laugh. "I haven't seen a person like you, apart from once."

He hesitated. "And that's when I stare at a reflection."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean your battle strategy... It doesn't looking for pokemon with perfect IVs, breeding, teambuilding... You don't use tricks, gimmicks or traps that suit the kind of battle that you do. And that, my friend, is what I pride myself on."

He paced back and forth, and looked Ash dead in the eye. "Have you noticed that there isn't a single champion who uses those setups? It's because in the real world, they can think of a way out instantly."

He patted his Charizard on the back. "I've never wanted to treat pokemon like tools. Most trainers are good anyway, they wouldn't do that. But what they would do, is look solely to be the best, and so they turn their backs on any pokemon that isn't to their liking."

Then, he looked up at Ash, and their eyes locked, as did their smiles. "Not us. We battle along with our pokemon. We don't train our pokemon, we train with them. And that's how I think it should be."

Ash felt his next pokeball. Having one in his hand made him feel unstoppable. Yet, he was humble, knowing that anything was always their strength. He nodded to Red.

You're right. That's exactly how I feel. So let's battle, without any focus on perfection. Let's battle, alongside our pokemon!"

Him and Red tossed their balls into the air, and watched as a pokemon materialised from each.

The first, on Ash's edge. It was Eevee.

The second, Ash saw a Jolteon crouching by Red, and his eyes widened slightly. So Eevee would be up against one of its evolutions. Quite the challenge.

"Okay, bring it on, Ash!" Red yelled. The silent, edgy man was gone completely and replaced by a passionate, staunch figure. Serena looked with wide eyes. This man had the exact same look in his eyes that Ash did.

"Ash..." she whispered, clasping her hands to her chest. "You can win this... I know you will."

"Okay Eevee, let's do this!" yelled Ash. "Swift, and make it double!"

Eevee fired an array of stars, all of which his electric superior avoided effortlessly.

Ash and Eevee cringed simultaneously. This was not going to be easy. But they were one up on Red, so it wasn't as if he was totally out of Ash's league. All he had to do, was stay confident.

"Eevee, don't give up just yet!"

"And you don't _let_ up, Jolteon!" urged Red. "Use Thunder!"

Strangely enough, before Ash called out to dodge, he realised that the Thunder was not aimed at Eevee, so the small brown dog let it's guard down.

Then the strike smashed into a rock, and didn't stop there, splitting in all directions.

Ash's eyes widened as he realised Red's plan - at this altitude, there would be too little air resistance to stop a lightning rod effect on any conductive surface. Essentially, home field advantage.

Eevee was knocked down by the move, tanking a heavy shock.

Red shouted "use Thunder Fang!" and Jolteon was back on Eevee in an instant, causing more damage.

"Eevee, get out of there! Protect!" Ash shouted, but his pokemon was too stubborn to listen, and instead was thrown about once more by its evolved form.

Then, with one final Double Edge, Jolteon crashed into Eevee, sending the little dog flying - and knocking square into Ash's abdomen and sending the two sprawling onto the ground.

However, Red was surprised to see Eevee still get up and bare his fangs, despite the heavy wounds.

Ash lifted his head and spluttered, but then he too got onto his knees and turned Eevee around to face him.

"Eevee, why won't you use Protect?"

Eevee shook his head and whimpered.

"But if you wanna truly be a good fighter, you gotta be able to defend yourself!"

Ash stood up. "Eevee, defending yourself from attacks is a necessary part of battling. Here, use Tackle on me."

Serena watched this intermission from the sides, completely incredulous and expecting Red to intervene and continue the battle. However, he simply watched along with them with a curious, yet slightly bemused expression.

Eevee seemed surprised, but did what Ash said anyway, and rammed straight into him. Ash put out his arms to block, and Eevee couldn't land a hit on his body. Then, Ash flicked his wrists and grabbed Eevee by the waist with a grin on his face.

"See what I mean? I block your attacks good enough, and now I can make a good attack! If you can't defend, then you won't be able to get through!"

Eevee was stunned. Defense... He had always viewed defense as weak. But it made offense stronger..?

"So now, when I say to use Protect, will you..?"

Eevee paced around. Then it looked Ash dead in the eye, and nodded with a smile.

Ash pumped a fist. "Yes!" then he turned back to Red. "Sorry for the wait, but we're ready to go!"

Red shrugged. "Fine by me. And if you're ready, then so are we. Jolteon, Thunder Fang!"

"Dodge it!"

Eevee sidestepped and Jolteon sailed past him.

"Now use Tackle!"

Eevee then spun on his back paws, and broke into a sprint, smashing Jolteon headfirst.

Ash grinned. "Nice, now combo that into Swift!"

"No you don't!" Red yelled. "Thunder!"

Red was too late and Jolteon had already taken a Swift and was wiped through the dust. But, then it's body glowed with a golden tinge, and a lightning cloud appeared above the mountain.

Ash narrowed his eyes. "_This'll KO Eevee for sure. I hope he trusts me._"

"Okay Eevee, when I say go, use Protect!"

Eevee winced, but Ash could tell the focus in his eyes.

The lightning strike erupted from the skies, and smashed into the floor. Then, several strands shot out to the sides, causing hairlike waves to beam over to an exposed Eevee.

"Go!" yelled Ash.

A green-tinted barricade encapsulated the little pokemon, and the thunder discharge struck the shield, and violently rebounded off in every direction, even sailing within a metre from Ash himself. However, there was so many of these strands that Eevee started to struggle holding up his forcefield.

Eventually, as the Thunder had started to die down, so had Eevee's strength and the shield broke down, the electricity charging over his head. Eevee was still awake, but barely.

Jolteon in the corner was panting for breath, and very weak from the battle, not to mention completely taken off-guard by Eevee's endurance.

The two dogs stared each other down. None showed any signs of weakness on their faces, but the wavering from both of them was clear as day. Then...

"You've done it Eevee!"

Eevee looked up, confused. Ash was beaming, even though the battle wasn't over. "You put 110 percent in, and you've been a huge help! So don't worry about this."

He pulled out a pokeball, but in an instant, Eevee had knocked it from his hands and was snarling. "You what..?" croaked Ash.

"Evui, Eevui vui!"

Ash's mouth was open wide, but he knew what Eevee tried to say. The battle wasn't over yet.

He smiled. "I like your spirit, Eevee. If you're sure, then I won't stop you."

"Enough is enough!" Red called out, his patience having finally waned. "Jolteon, finish this!"

He nodded to his pokemon, who in turn took a deep breath and then made his own fangs glow with electrical discharge.

But when Jolteon sank it's his teeth in, Eevee didn't move a muscle. It just took the attack in the body.

Ash gasped. But then he gasped again, for Eevee had suddenly became shrouded in an overwhelming white glow.

Red's eyes widened behind the shadow of his cap, but he smirked. "What timing."

Ash and Serena voiced their exclaimation at the same time, "Eevee's evolving?!"

Eevee's body morphed to become larger, more sleek, with a more defined head and ears. The tail thinned and Ash could just make out a pair of small whiskers forming.

Then, the glow dissipated instantly, revealing a lilac creature where Eevee once stood. His eyes were purple pools and an even purpler orb sat on his forehead. Ash hadn't known one personally, but he could recognise it from several encounters with this eeveelution - an Espeon.

Ash's eyes shined with exhilaration. "Wow, you evolved into an Espeon!"

He couldn't help but run over and give his friend a warm embrace, and Espeon smiled hugely despite the wounds it still had from the ongoing battle.

"Ready to go, Ash and Espeon?" Red called out. Looks like his patience had finally run out.

Ash picked himself up. "Yeah, let's finish this!" he responded. Then, to Espeon, "use Confusion!"

The lilac dog looked more than happy to test out its new strength, and it's eyes and pearl shone blue, causing a wave of energy to knock down his electric counterpart.

"Jolteon, can you keep going?"

Jolteon staggered back to all fours. Espeon stared him down, and Ash and Red both looked into each others eyes.

"Double Edge attack!" They both yelled, simultaneously.

Then, Espeon charged forward, as did Jolteon. The short moments in which they ran felt like slow motion, but they finally collided into each other, kicking up dust and dirt to hide the outcome of the battle.

Then the dust settled, and within the rubble lay both Espeon and Jolteon, unmoving.

Ash and Red looked shocked, but they both recalled their fainted dogs. "I'm speechless. You've got quite the powerhouse Espeon right there."

Ash grinned. "You aren't bad yourself. I can see why you've been Kanto's champion for ten years."

The other man scratched his nose. "Who knows." he muttered. "You may have a chance. This battle is really heating up."

Ash agreed, and silently made sure he kept his guard up. He may have a lead, but Red obviously was champion for a reason.

"Go!" the trainers yelled, throwing their individual pokeballs.

A huge thud was created on both sides. On Red's, Gengar. On the other, Snorlax.

Ash patted his loyal giant on the leg, which was as far as he could reach. "Okay Snorlax, let's go!"

* * *

However, after an arduous hour of pure battling, Ash noticed he had a huge lead. His Snorlax took out Gengar, before getting taken out by Dodrio, which Swellow defeated.

Then, Swellow was switched out for Greninja, who knocked out Red's next pokemon, Lapras, without even needing to transform.

So far, the battle had been easy. But why was Red looking more and more confident as the fight continued..?

Ash still knew he shouldn't let his guard down. It was just a matter of understanding what Red had up his sleeve.

By that point in the battle, the man had stopped talking. His eyes became shrouded by the shadow of his cap, and Ash could no longer feel the presence of an opponent, but now, a spectator.

What was he about to do?

Ash looked at Greninja. "You ready?"

The tall frog nodded, and raised two webbed limbs.

Red merely lowered his head, raised a fist with a pokeball, which enlarged eerily. Then, Red threw it hard, and it hit and opened, revealing his last pokemon.

Ash's eyes widened. "N-no way..!"

He froze on the spot, so stunned that even Serena was taken aback, though she did not recognise the pokemon. She raised her Pokédex out of curiosity, but was returned with zero results.

The pokemon Ash and Greninja stood up against had a purple haze surrounding it, but it's form was easy to make out. A slender white body and huge lavender tail...

"This... This is Mewtwo!" Ash gasped.

Red, returning to a distinct lack of emotion in his voice, nodded. "This is your final challenge." he declared.

Ash couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "What happened to all that excitement from battling?"

"We'll see." Red sighed. "This is not a battle any more."

Ash gritted his teeth. '_Whats that supposed to mean..?_" He wondered, but this was no time.

"Okay Greninja, let's give this battle everything we've got, together!"

Greninja prepared himself for what was to come. Ash and him raised his arms in sync - the Bond Phenomenon came easily to them. Greninja transformed within an incredible water whirlwind to become the famous red-marked Ash-Greninja. Usually, Red would've been curious, but he was just... Resigned. Ash frowned, but turned back to the battle.

"Greninja, use Cut!"

Without hesitation, the water type darted at the mythical creature, and lashed out a slicing motion with a silver blade of energy, which landed a direct hit on Mewtwo. Despite it not moving, Ash was certain that Greninja had dealt at least some good damage. But then, he noticed Mewtwo one more time, and suddenly a sense of foreboding pulsed through his blood and into his brain.

"Greninja, quick! Get back, now!" Ash cried.

Unfortunately, they weren't quick enough. Mewtwo's eyes glowed blue, and Greninja was lifted and then slammed into the ground, inflicting so much damage that Ash's knees buckled and Serena immediately rushed over worriedly and picked him up to lean him on her.

Mewtwo, meanwhile, had a green shimmer wrapped around his body, which made the wounds Greninja inflicted fade away.

Ash glanced at Red, who was staring upwards at nothing. "What?"

"That was Psychic and then Recover."

"An unchallengeable attack. Then, a move that will put it back to full health. I've tried to train all of my pokemon against it... And I came to the realisation that it's unbeatable. Even if I had a sweeping move, Mewtwo is too quick for it."

Ash's heart sank. This must've been Red's secret weapon. How on earth could he get past a method that Red had failed to for his entire champion career..?

He took a deep breath. It wasn't over; there was still a chance. He had Greninja, Charizard, Swellow and Pikachu still able to battle. Four pokemon, against a solo Mewtwo. If they worked together, they could do it.

"No matter. We'll do this!" Ash bellowed. "Greninja, Water Shuriken!"

Greninja clapped together a throwing star made of pure water, and tossed it at unbelievable speed at Mewtwo. However, after the move hit the blue eyes knocked back yet again, and the strength of the move was so strong Ash felt like he himself was going to pass out in Serena's arms. But he concentrated for his life, and continued. "Aerial Ace!"

Mewtwo had already used Recover once again, and showed no sign of tiring from it. Then, he lifted his hands in front of his face and a huge shockwave pulsed from them and stopped Greninja dead in his tracks.

Ash choked. Then his strength was sapped, and he sunk deadweight, and not even Serena could hold him up anymore. Instead, she kneeled down and reached over to him to check if he was okay, her mind racing and trying not to panic. Her nerves were already getting to her as she shook her dizzy boyfriend, gave him her water flask, et cetera.

"Serena..." he muttered.

"Ash, I know how tough this may look, but you can do this! Just keep going and something will come, I promise you."

She helped him to stand up; "I... Hope you're right." He said, unable to help the insecurities rising within him.

Greninja was knocked out in front of him, so Ash held his pokeball shakily in front of him and recalled his faithful frog. He reached for Swellow's pokeball and dropped, which made it open upon hitting the ground.

Swellow took to the skies, facing down the creature in front of him. "Use Double Team!"

That caught Red's attention. Ash's hopes were relit - perhaps he hadn't tried Double Team before. The clones of Swellow formed a circle around Mewtwo, who used Confusion and wiped them all out. Swellow, however, was doing it's tried and tested tactic of swooping in with an Aerial Ace and disappearing to ram into Mewtwo from behind.

A supereffective move. This must've dealt a lot of damage to Mewtwo, so even when he used Recover he must've lost a significant amount of health. Ash was feeling better already.

"Aerial Ace again, let's go!"

This time, unfortunately, Mewtwo was ready. Swellow was caught out of the air, just before its famous vanishing point, by a blue shine coming from Mewtwo's eyes. Ash grimaced and Swellow was thrown hard into the ground. Mewtwo used Recover once again and now there was no chance his health wasn't full.

Ash ordered another Double Team, this time into Peck, which worked due to the impressive speed of the bird, however once again Recover served to nullify it's hard work. And then, just like with Greninja, confusion finished him off.

Ash looked down, casting a shadow over his eyes by his cap. '_Is it even possible to win..? Mewtwo... How did Red ever catch a Mewtwo.._?'

Serena looked at him with concern. Ash hadn't looked like this since he walked out of Wulfric's gym over a year ago.

But he still put his hand to his belt, and threw his second-to-final pokemon, Charizard.

The massive lizard-dragon landed in front of Ash, still fatigued from it's battle with the other Mega Charizard but itching to go on. Ash was not so enthusiastic at this point - Charizard was probably unable to mega evolve again. Worries clouded his vision, though he didn't let it be known.

A hollow feeling rung in his voice as he gave his next move. "Charizard, fly and use Dragon Tail!"

His Charizard let out a roar and flapped his massive wings to put himself into the air along with the hovering Mewtwo. Charizard's glowing green tail made contact and did a huge amount of damage. But of course, its telepathic powers throwing Charizard back would lead into the move Ash was afraid of, which gave Mewtwo most of its health back. One more would restore it completely - "Quick, get back in there and use Flamethrower!

Ash realised that Mewtwo wasn't well-trained - it wasn't battling on Red's behalf, it just wanted to fight for the sake of defeating it's opponent - currently it must've viewed Charizard as an unworthy pokemon. He gritted his teeth, remembering a time when Charizard himself used to think like that.

Meanwhile, his fire dragon moved above the Mewtwo and showered it in flames, and didn't let up. Mewtwo still looked unfazed, and recovered in the midst of the Flamethrower, before using Confusion to strike down Charizard.

"Charizard!" Ash yelled. "Are you okay?"

Charizard got up to his feet, which was a big relief to Ash, but his troubles weren't over yet.

Mewtwo moved over Charizard, who didn't make a move to dodge, despite Ash's yelling. Next, turning to face the orange giant, Mewtwo summoned a Shadow Ball in its hands.

"Charizard, Flare Blitz!" Ash urged.

Charizard surrounded himself in blue flame, but meanwhile Mewtwo had lobbed the ball of dark matter. Charizard shot straight at it, collided with it.

Ash held his breath. Did he make it..?

Charizard moved past the Shadow Ball and straight into Mewtwo and they both toppled over and smashed into the dirt.

After several moments, Mewtwo climbed out of the dirt cloud, and used Recover once again. Ash ran over to Charizard. His eyes were spirals, and Ash sank to his knees while returning him.

"_I don't stand a chance. This Mewtwo can just keep using Recover until I can't go on. Why carry on letting my pokemon suffer for no reason?_"

He took a step back. Pikachu was pulling at his leg, ready to take on Mewtwo. However, Ash was as still and cold as stone.

"_I told Serena I wouldn't give up, but... This is impossible._"

Red was stood there, silent and aloof, and while looking at Ash, raised an eyebrow.

Ash bit his lip, and his breath was harsh. "I-"

Suddenly, he stopped.

A hand was resting on his shoulder, and it brought warmth to his icy body, relaxing his stiffened joints and putting his mind at ease.

He spun on his heel, and saw Serena there, with tears in her eyes. "You can't give up now, Ash!" she cried. Her voice was only a whisper, but in Ash's ears they were powerful.

"You told me once, that nothing you'd ever do is a waste of time. So you have to keep going, you're so close! Remember! Remember everything that you've taught me! It was because of you that I achieved my dream and even more! So don't give up! _Never give up until it's over_!"

She wore a brave smile on her face, and Ash gazed at her in amazement and shock.

"_Serena hasn't given up. Not on this battle, and not on me._"

He looked to Pikachu, whose attention was on Mewtwo, and on the battlefield, wearing the same expression Ash always had in a battle - determined, courageous.

And then he saw Red.

Red had given up on this battle long before Ash did. And look where he was. The champion recluse, who had been atop a mountain for seventeen years, whose team was outdated enough to not make the most of abilities, that Ash's pokemon beat easily.

At first, there was silence.

Then a chuckle rang out, filling the air on the summit of Mt. Silver.

Ash stood there, his characteristic grin finally returning to his face. "Thank you, Serena." he exclaimed. "I don't know what I would do without you."

She beamed, but couldn't help but tear up. "I'm glad..." she whispered.

"Red!" Ash shouted. "You'll see! There is a way to combat every problem, and that's how you improve as a trainer! I'll show you everything I've learned on my journey, with the two closest to me!"

He looked at Pikachu. "Sorry for the wait, buddy. You ready to finish this?!"

Pikachu pumped his fists and grinned. It was time to wrap this up, for better or for worse.

He jumped in front of Mewtwo. "Quick Attack!" ordered Ash, and Pikachu broke into a sprint, darting back and forth past Mewtwo, and it looked like the trick was working. Pikachu ran has fast as it could, and finally when Mewtwo lost track, collided into its back and leaving it sprawling on the ground.

Mewtwo got up, and hovered out of Pikachu's range, ready to use Recover.

However, the green glow did not come this time. Mewtwo looked just as surprised as Ash, and tried it again.

Nothing.

While the clone creature started to panic, Ash regained his composure quickly. "Now, Thunderbolt, go!"

Sparks crackled from the lightning mouse's cheeks, and a huge bolt blasted out of his body to envelope Mewtwo.

This was Ash's big break - unbeknownst to everyone, Mewtwo's Recover had ran out of Power Points, and could not be used any more. That meant the battle could be even.

Mewtwo finally stopped attempting to use it and instead fired a Shadow Ball which Pikachu narrow avoided.

"Now use Electroweb!"

Mewtwo tried to dodge, but it wasn't as quick as Pikachu, who slammed the web into Mewtwo and trapped it like he did with Scyther several weeks ago.

However, Mewtwo burst through it with a powerful psychic attack.

Ash wasn't finished yet, and saw an opening Mewtwo had left. He smirked to himself. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail on the ground!"

Pikachu looked up - and saw exactly what Ash was aiming to do. His tail shone silver, and he smacked in into the ground to kick up dirt and dust, and most importantly, himself, from the knockback.

Pikachu sauntered over Mewtwo, who looked up, unable to stop the airborne pokemon with a Psychic, and too dazed to aim a Shadow Ball.

Everything was riding on this. If Pikachu missed, Mewtwo could counterattack and that chance would never come up again.

Mewtwo used Confusion \- and Pikachu took on the pain, but was sent spinning higher and higher.

Ash waited, watching Pikachu's movements carefully. He was almost too far to see, when he stopped. And the momentum shifted.

"Now's your chance! Quick Attack!"

Pikachu, high up in the sky, turned his body around to face the ground. Then, he flew downwards at an acute angle to Mewtwo itself, running on air.

Then, Mewtwo tried its last. It's eyes started to glow blue, and it focused on Pikachu, and when Pikachu was close, possessed him with blue light.

Pikachu struggled within the Psychic attack, and it looked as though he wouldn't be able to land the final move. "Pi... ka..!"

"Pikachu!" Ash screamed. His throat had started to go sore, but he ignored it. "Don't give up!"

Those words rang through the pair's ears.

Never

Give

Up.

"Pika... Pikachu..."

Mewtwo kept on using Psychic, attempting to hurl the rodent.

"Pikapikapikapika..."

But then, the light broke, and Pikachu was free, and spun his tail towards his gasping foe.

Ash punched the air. His vocals were tearing, yet he still pushed through and gave his final command.

"Use Thunder-Iron Tail!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs.

Surges of lightning cracked through the air, and struck everywhere. Stray bolts shone off Pikachu and made deafening bolts all around.

"Pika... CHUUUUUUUUUUU!"

The attack met Mewtwo's forehead for the ultimate explosion; gusts of wind blew debris all over the summit and tore up the walls around Ash, Red and Serena, exposing the cliff face and the view of the two regions Kanto and Johto from where they stood.

It took an eternity to subside. Ash was covering his eyes, Serena was holding onto her hat, but Ash immediately scanned the area for the two pokemon.

The cloud made it impossible to make out who was who. But as it slowly slowly dispersed, two figures became clearer.

One was faced flat on the ground. The other stood over them.

Finally, the last of the dust settled, to reveal Pikachu.

He was planted firmly on his tail, weak, dizzy, hurt, but still conscious, and grinning happily. Which meant that the one fainted next to him, was the Genetic Pokemon, Mewtwo.

Ash and Red looked at the scene in utter shock. Finally a red light succumbed Mewtwo and Ash looked up to see Red holding a pokeball out in front of him and staring at it.

Then, Red broke out in a smile. "This battle is over."

Ash stood unable to move. Then a force on his side crashed into him and knocked him to the floor: Serena had jumped at him and was hugging him joyously and cheering.

"Ash, Ash, you did it, you did it!" she bawled happily. "I believed in you, and you really, really won!"

He stayed silent. Then, he beamed and returned the hug. "Of course I did. I had my pokemon, and I had you."

She gave him a kiss, and they stood up.

Red walked up to the celebrating duo, and was grinning ear to ear, extremely unusual for someone who had lost a battle and their title.

"Congratulations, Ash Ketchum. You won this battle fair and square. I'm so very happy this region can finally have a worthy champion."

Then, he tossed a pokeball in front of him. Appearing from it was his Charizard.

Ash tilted his head out of curiosity. "So what are you gonna do now?"

Reds eyebrows furrowed. "Probably travel the world. I want to prove myself again. But first, I'm going to go home."

Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a red device. Ash looked at hit - "Hey, it's the old Pokédex!"

Red raised an eyebrow. "_Old_ Pokédex?"

"You've been away for a long time, Red. There's so many more Pokémon in different regions." With that, Ash pulled out his own Pokédex, and handed it over.

Red scrolled through, and his eyes widened when he passed the first 151. "Incredible..." he muttered. Then, louder, "Where do you suggest I visit first?"

Ash thought about it. He recalled his own journey in his head. "For me, I travelled from Kanto, then to Johto, then Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos. And there's probably many more regions I don't know about."

Red nodded. He pulled a Sitrus Berry out of his bag and gave it to Charizard, who downed it in one go. Then, he hopped on Charizard's back. "Ash, I hope to meet you again one day. I'm so very glad I've been surpassed by someone like you. It was years in the making."

And with that, Charizard flapped his mighty wings and took off, leaving Ash and Serena holding hands to watch them go further, further away.

Red was only a dot on the horizon with his Charizard, but still a presence lurked over Ash. A small one, yet Ash sensed its power.

Pikachu pricked his ears up intently. "Pi, pika?"

Serena held Ash's shoulder. "What's the matter? You've just won, you-"

"Wait." he said, softly but firm. His expression was aloof, but his eyes were wide. There was a shimmer above him, like a heat haze in the sky that seemed out of place. And then, when he pointed to show Serena, the haze materialised into a pokemon.

This pokemon looked at Ash and giggled. It was pink, catlike with a long tail and large eyes. In a sense, Serena thought it looked quite a lot like Mewtwo. And Ash's expression turned from concentration to realisation.

"I remember you." Ash breathed. "And I'm sure you remember me, too."

Serena looked befuddled. However, Ash continued, and she listened with awe.

"We've met each other, twice before. The first time, I never knew about, until I beat Mewtwo and got my memories back. But I do know that you killed me. And then brought me back to life."

Serena's eyes widened. Ash had died before? _Died_?!

His face was not conflicted. It wasn't even angry. Just curious. "Mew, why are you here?"

"Mew, mew!"

The little catlike creature spun in the air, and pointed its tail at Pikachu.

Pikachu pointed a paw at himself. "Pi?"

Mew nodded, and Ash understood what was going on. "You saw Pikachu beat Mewtwo, and you want to battle us?"

Another nod from Mew. Then, it circled above Pikachu, when suddenly the mouse shined with a green glow, and when that glow subsided all of Pikachu's wounds from fighting Mewtwo had completely disappeared.

Ash grinned. "A fair fight it is then! Bring it on, Mew!"

Mew made a happy noise - it sounded to Ash like a giggle. Then, it took to the skies, and swooped down at Pikachu, an orb floating above its head. Then, Mew lobbed it at Pikachu who narrowly escaped to the side.

"Pikachu, use Electroweb!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu lifted his tail, and aimed it's move towards Mew, who disappeared from sight to avoid the energy web.

Mew, while invisible, was unable to attack, but it was also unable to be attacked, so it sauntered around to look for an opening.

But then, it saw Pikachu's eyes. They were closely following Ash's eyes, which in turn were scanning around for it.

Mew smiled, and reappeared in order to prepare another hidden power.

Ash's eyes focused on Mew immediately. "Now! Quick Attack!"

Pikachu, with complete faith, spun a one-eighty on the heel of his back paw and shot up into the air to collide with Mew and inflict at least some damage.

Ash punched the air. "Nice one, buddy!"

The battle wasn't over yet, and now the little mythical pokemon was having fun. It composed itself quickly and spun around both Pikachu and Ash.

"Okay Pikachu, stay focused! Don't lose track of that Mew!"

Pikachu looked wary and kept up a defensive stance on all fours, while Mew attempted to dizzy him. Pikachu hesitated for a second - and the hidden power was fired on him and it hit.

"Oh no!" Ash cringed. Then he regained his composure. "Okay Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

However, when Pikachu got back up, he winced. The hidden power had been supereffective, and had caused a flinch.

Mew's eyes glowed with a blue that then enveloped Pikachu. Ash's eyes widened. "_Is this Mew's power..?_" he wondered, as his pokemon was lifted into the air with little to no effort. Pikachu struggled, but to no avail. Mew had him in a Psychic.

Then, with an immense force, he was thrown hard into Ash himself, as they both tumbled behind a rock.

But then, the sky crackled, and a huge thunderbolt exploded from the rock, causing a set of chain explosions which caused the cliffside to shake violently.

Ash opened his eyes to see Pikachu, on top of him and seemingly unconscious. "Buddy, are you okay?!"

Ash felt a hand on his arm; Serena was above him, reaching a hand towards him while also holding her hat tightly from a sudden gust of wind that was disturbing the rocks. "Ash, it's not safe here! We need to get out of here!"

Pikachu's eyes opened. Strangely, there wasn't a scratch on him. Then, he pounced onto his feet onto the rock Ash's body had been smashed against.

A lightning strike erupted from the skies again. Ash's eyes widened as the flash surrounded his partner pokemon.

But Pikachu came out unscathed. This time, though, the thunder discharged from all directions, and the entire cliff face caved in.

Pikachu crashed into Ash once again, whacking the poor man against a rocky wall.

Serena was not so lucky. The force of Ash flying out of her hand caught her off guard and caused her to stagger back. And then, trip.

She screamed, and Ash's consciousness, which had started to fade from the blunt trauma, kicked back again.

Pikachu was holding onto Serena who was dangling from the mountainside, in danger of falling thousands of feet.

Just then, Pikachu's back paws gave out and him along with Serena slipped off.

Ash's eyes widened and he ran to the side of the mountain, a plan to save them formulating in his head.

He tore off his belt and let all of his pokeballs hit the ground. Then he jumped down, hurtfalling after Pikachu and Serena.

Hitting terminal velocity in mere split seconds, Ash caught up with the terrified girl.

"Ash, why-" she started to scream, but Ash simply smiled.

"Don't worry!" he yelled. "I trust my pokemon with my life!"

As if on cue, that very moment, a flash of blackness cut in the middle of Ash and Serena, and Pikachu was gone. They looked up - and sure enough, Pikachu was safe on Swellow's back.

Above Ash, Charizard was diving as fast as he could, but it wasn't going to be fast enough.

What did happen, however, was Snorlax, overtaking Ash and Serena on the way down due to sheer weight. But then, Snorlax glowed blue and he began to slow to a halt in midair. There was Espeon, riding on Charizard's back and using Psychic on Snorlax, but struggling.

Ash landed on Snorlax's belly, and he gripped Serena's wrist. But she was slipping too much, and the winds from the earthquake were too strong.

"Serena!" Ash shouted. "Just hang on, okay?! I'll figure something out!"

Serena gulped, and closed her eyes, trying to stay calm. But it wasn't easy, when you were thousands of feet in the air and especially when you have had a traumatic experience similar to what was going on. Her breaths were short and sharp, and she tried her best not to start crying.

Ash gritted his teeth. "It'll all be okay..." but his grip on Serena's arm was weakening fast. At this rate...

Suddenly, his eyes flashed, and he saw...

Himself.

A bird's-eye view of himself and Serena. Bond Phenomenon must've kicked in through the resurgence of adrenaline.

He grinned hugely. It was going to be okay.

"Serena!" he yelled suddenly. "Do you trust me?!"

She nodded, words becoming too much for her.

"Throw Pancham to the ground, and tell him to use Stone Edge!" he paused, gulping to bear the fear of what he was about to say. "Then you gotta jump!"

Serena's eyes widened, but she did what he said anyway, due to her undying faith in him. "Pancham, use stone edge!"

She lobbed Pancham's pokeball to the ground. Just then, Snorlax began to fall again, albeit slowly. Espeon's strength was waning.

Serena gathered her confidence, but her breaths were ragged. When she looked into Ash's eyes, however, and saw his determination, it gave her the strength she needed. The courage, if also the grave fear as well - and she let go, closing her eyes.

As soon as she had done so, she felt something on her back. Then, the feeling of falling finally faded.

She opened her eyes gingerly. There she was, on a floating stone edge teetering off the edge of the mountainside, having only fallen half the distance between the summit and base. Next to her was Pancham, and Greninja.

The tall blue frog must have been running down the side of the mountain, Serena concluded, and saved her by catching her with the help of stone edge. Trust Ash to come up with such out-of-the-box strategies for just about anything.

Once Charizard had picked them all back up to the top of the mountain (and Ash returned Snorlax), the winds and tremors had thankfully ceased.

Ash picked his five pokeballs back up, returning each of his pokemon, except Pikachu of course.

But then Ash frowned. He never returned Pikachu, but he had always kept his pokeball on his belt at all times. Now he only had five. Where had Pikachu's pokeball gone?

He fumbled around the floor for it. Then a sharp pain searing through his hands stopped him in his tracks - he retracted his hand to see a cut.

Ash looked down, and his heart sank.

A red and white pokeball was at his feet, but it wasn't intact. In fact, it was in pieces, littered across the ground like pebbles.

Ash's mouth went dry. "This must've happened... When Pikachu crashed into me..."

Serena looked at him with worry. She put a hand on his shoulder but remained quiet. Pikachu had also come to stare at the remains of his destroyed pokeball, and when he saw Ash's face, it showed pure confusion. Pikachu stood in front of him, and gave him a smile, which seemed to cheer him up a little.

Ash then felt a presence looming above him. But it was quite a small one, the power of which he could tell instantly. "Mew mew..?" It said.

Ash's eyebrows furrowed. Mew was too strong for him. But it had a kind heart, and he didn't want to waste this opportunity to spend time with a pokemon that Ash had been in awe of, even as a kid. After all, he had wanted to meet Mew in person ever since his mum had showed him pictures.

That's when an idea struck him. "_Mum_." he realised. "_Mum's gift to me_."

Ash moved a hand into his jacket pocket, and felt the present, small and round.

It enlarged in his hand, but was still hidden from the sight of the two pokemon and the girl. Then, he took a deep breath.

"_Am I really about to do this_?" He asked himself. Then, "Y_eah, I'm gonna just try. After all, you only live once._"

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Mew looked confused, but Pikachu did not aim for Mew - in fact, quite the opposite. When Pikachu saw what was in Ash's hand, he grinned hugely. Mew tried to take a look - but it was too late.

Ash lobbed the Master Ball at Pikachu, who spun around on a paw and batted the ball back with a tail. With an incredible precision that he had last used to win the semifinals in the Kalos League, the ball was sent, flying like a screwball at Mew, who only looked dumbfounded as it hit and absorbed the mythical being.

One, two, three clicks.

And the Master Ball had worked.

Serena gasped loudly, and Ash took the pokeball in his hand.

"Did you... Did you just Master Ball catch a mythical pokemon.?!" she stuttered.

Ash shrugged, unsure of what to say. A simple 'yes' seemed a bit too underwhelming, but he was honestly just as confused as she was.

But he really had just caught a Mew.

Pikachu hugged him, but his nerves were too worn.

He simply sat limp, with his closest friend and his girlfriend by his side. And they didn't say a word - they just let Ash have a moment. After all, they could understand just how much he had faced.

It was beginning to turn night. After several minutes, an unusually long time for the energetic boy to be so complacent, sat upright. "I'm okay now." said Ash calmly. "Thanks for waiting for me."

Serena kissed him. "You've been through a lot today. Take all the time you need."

"Let's go back then."

Ash got up, the characteristic smile returning to his face at last.

"..."

He stared at the Master Ball in his hand. He then stared at a trophy on the floor. That must've been left there by the champion, Red.

The _former_ champion.

Then, jumping five feet into the air, yelled, "Wow! I'm the champion of Kanto!

And I really just caught a Mew!"

* * *

**Well, this is it. Ash is the champion now, after all these years, and he caught a Mew. This little story is reaching it's end, slowly but surely, and I hope you stay around to realise it's outcome.**

**And wowwww, i wrote so much! Haven't written 10,000 words before..!**

**But let's move onto why I wrote what I did this chapter.** **Because I'm sure that, while some of you may have enjoyed it purely for reading's sake, others will be pretty confused. So here's my logic behind everything.**

**The random Mystery Dungeon? Well, I really like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, lmao. I just wanted to pay homage to my favourite pokemon game ever :P**

**Why did I make Ash's team much better than Red's? Well, Ash had journeyed with all of them (bar Espeon) for a lot longer than Red had. They've seen and gained more experience. In fact, Red didn't even know about abilities! This battle was just purely what pokemon anime fans would want to see rather than game fans. **

**Red is primarily a game character, even if his team was based on his team in Pokémon Origins.**

**In games you'd expect to see teambuilding, with pokemon having a special role on the team.**

**Movesets, natures, IVs and EVs play a vital role in if a team is good.**

**In the anime, however, if you think like this you can only get so far. If it was like this Ash would never get as far as he did.**

**Instead, he uses the battlefield, and utilises reaction and wit. Because it isn't turn based in the anime, he and his opponent can do that. And because Red is used to game combat and not on-your-feet like Ash, it really showed.**

**Why did I get Ash to catch Mew? For two reasons.**

**Number one, to spite the ongoing pokemon anime. Go's main goal is to catch Mew, but I know that Mew would be better with Ash in a lot of ways, such as because of the first and eighth pokemon movies, so, you know, put that master ball Delia gave to Ash to good use, lol.**

**Number two, Ash doesn't have a legendary or mythical pokemon in his roster. He has (had) Goodra, a pseudo-legendary, a Bond Phenomenon Greninja, not to mention other rarities like shiny Noctowl, pokemon hatched from eggs, etc. But the one trope he never filled was a mythical/legendary.**

**Anyway, considering other character's have had legendaries before (Tobias comes to mind, and Red himself), Ash really should. And what better mythical creature than Gen I's own, the one that he's seen and befriended in two movies.**

**Why Espeon?**

**Ash has never caught or even raised a psychic type. He did once battle with his mother's Mr Mime, but that wasn't his. So it doesn't count.**

**Anyway****, I decided to give Ash a psychic type considering he was so good with commanding Mr Mime. So that's why Eevee evolved into Espeon (also my favourite out of the Eeveelutions).**

**Reviews:**

**Guest: **These past chapter were so different in comparisson of the previous ones. I personally didn't like them. Ir was like you got bored and wanted to finish fast. You wrote a couple of gym battles and showcases and then...BOOM! Grand festival and pokemon league (and skipping elite 4 is the same case)

Serena lost against a OC without a previous appearance

Ash won a pokemon league with a team even worst than his Kanto and Johto ones

the opponents were too underwhelming

Just a scyther, eeve and a couple of his weakest pokemons from the past (excluding Charizard)

I mean...how the other competitors got the in the first place? How do they beat Misty, Sabrina, etc? I get that all of them don't have to have megaevolution or Z rings but the lv of everybody was too low.

**Okay, first criticism I've had in a long time, but this time, I personally can't agree.**

**It's a shame you didn't like these chapters, but let me assure you, it's not because I didn't want to finish fast. I was just reckoning that the gym battles and showcases were getting too repetitive. This is amourshipping, after all. Someone did write a review way back saying that the focus should be on AshxSerena rather than his battles through Kalos, and I definitely agreed with that. Serena's loss was just to show that she had a long way to go in terms of contests as opposed to her specialty in performing. It wasn't often that she ever had to battle, remember.**

**'The opponents were too underwhelming' - yeah, actually I could see where you were coming from there. I have written most of these recent battles as though Ash had plowed through them, but my goal was to make Ash seem as though that experience had made him stand out against the tide. His pokemon were a lot more well trained, not really weak as you called it. Squirtle had won League battles before, after all. But if people did agree that the battles were written too poorly (just write a review letting me know, I'll definitely know for next time. But for now, there will be no more battling. The story is reaching its end, and it will be fully amourshipping from here on out.**

**And that covers everything. Once again, thank**** you all for reading.**

**Like always, feel free to leave a review holding criticism, questions or praise, and I'll see you next chapter****...**

**...**

**Or will I?**


	23. Chapter 22: At the End of the Day

**Chapter 22: ****At the End of the Day**

* * *

Ash walked down the path leading to the bottom of Mt. Silver in silence. Serena stood by him, holding his hand tightly, not daring to let go.

After a while, Ash finally spoke. "Serena, are you doing okay?"

She turned to him, with an bewildered expression. "I should be the one asking you that. You defeated the champion, yet you haven't smiled once. What's on your mind?"

Ash looked at his hands. In them, was Pikachu's broken pokeball. Serena caught his gaze, and put a hand on his shoulder, which was free as Pikachu was in her own bag, asleep from it's hard-fought battle. "You know, Pikachu will never feel differently about you, pokeball or not."

He nodded, and stared at the debris intensely. "Yeah, I know. I'm just kinda overthinking it, but Pikachu is technically released, but I don't want to put him through being back in a pokeball again. It's nothing important, but it's just-"

He stopped, however, as he was interrupted by a pair of arms wrapped around him. "Ash, it's good that you feel this way. Shows how much you care about Pikachu. But look, you two - no, all of you worked together and you finally became the champion! So you can worry about that in the future. For now, I want to see the Ash that smiles and never stops talking."

Ash gazed at her. Her eyes shone in the evening sun and her smile was as reassuring as if she was back in a performance. He allowed a grin to slowly build on his face. "Boy, am I lucky to be with someone like you."

Serena blushed, and gave him a sudden peck on the cheek before they carried on walking.

She felt a rustle on her back. "Pi...Ka?" groaned a soft voice behind her. She pulled the bag off her back and unzipped it, revealing the exhausted yellow mouse, stirring but awake.

Ash beamed hugely, and picked his companion up carefully but joyously. "Pikachu!" he cried. "Buddy, you're awake!"

Pikachu grinned back at him, and gave him a weak thunder jolt. Ash barely felt the move, but his friend was okay, and still recognised him. He let out a breath he didn't even know he held. "Oh, thank goodness..."

* * *

"Hey Ash." Serena whispered. "Here we are."

Ash looked straight ahead of him as he turned the corner. A huge crowd looked back at him, at the bottom of the mountain. His eyes widened, but then he smiled.

He wrenched a trophy out of his bag. The same one Red had given him.

Gingerly, he lifted the trophy above his head, as Pikachu got up onto his paws and stood beside him.

The crowd continued to stare with a deafening silence. But then, at once, a huge round of clapping rung out, echoing across the mountain base.

The adrenaline in Ash's body burnt out right then, and he fell into Serena's arms, still smiling and still conscious, yet unable to move. He was the champion of his home region, and finally at the end of his quest to become a Pokemon Master.

His voice had left him, but Serena was not worried; she could hear his thoughts from his expression, and he was exhilarated. She smiled, and slung him over her back, stepping forward into the crowd before them.

Surprisingly, there wasn't any paparazzi - but she looked towards the back of the crowd, spotted a certain Charizard there and put two and two together. After all, he was the master photographer who gave Ash the Charizardite Y.

She paced slowly through the crowd, who were all cheering and congratulating Ash.

"Ash, check it out, you've done so well!" she told him, pointing at everyone around him. He just sighed blissfully.

The entirety of the Kanto region hadn't seen their champion in years, and were beginning to doubt whether he was alive at all. But seeing him fly on a Charizard after Ash's journey with his girlfriend to Mount Silver, the pieces fell into place. The followers of the pokemon league, all the great Kanto trainers - even Blue himself had came out to see their new champion.

Serena was almost disappointed for having to drag Ash away from them, but his own health was first and foremost on her priorities. She pretty much carried him from the Mountain until someone in the crowd offered the two a lift back to the Indigo Plateau which she graciously accepted. When she made it, she booked in a stay at the Pokemon Center and lay the exhausted boy on the bed.

He closed his eyes, and allowed his breathing to relax. "Serena... Thank you..."

Serena smiled kindly back at him, and helped him to take a drink of water. "Don't push yourself, you've done enough. Just get some rest, and I'll see you tomorrow."

She got up to leave, but felt a hand on her wrist - Ash's. "Don't go..." he muttered.

Serena stroked his cheek. "Oh, sweetie..." she soothed. "If it means so much to you, then that's okay. I'll stay with you."

Ash's arms drooped onto the mattress, and soon he fell asleep. Serena watched the slow rising and falling of his chest, thinking about how much he had accomplished.

Her role model. Her lover. And now, the champion. She let her eyes close, and she rested her head against his lap, and soon, she too was fast asleep.

* * *

Ash opened his eyes, and waited his vision to adjust to the warm light of the pokemon center room. "Huh..? Serena?"

"Don't worry!" she called out, from a room right next to where they had slept - a kitchen. "I'm right here."

Ash sat up, still feeling extremely groggy. "Man, how long have I been asleep?"

Serena stared at the clock. "Oh, well I woke up 6 hours ago, so you must've been asleep for 18."

Ash yawned. "Whew, 18 hours." Then his eyes shot open. "Wait, where are my pokemon?"

Serena lay a reassuring hand on his head. "They're outside, playing with mine. "I gave them to Nurse Joy last night to heal, and they're all better and taking it easy." She stopped, and put an arm around him. "Anyway, what about your eighteenth birthday, my champion?" She giggled slyly.

Ash laughed, though he went red at the name. "Thanks, my queen." he said, returning the favour and making her blush in turn. "But don't you have someplace you need to go?"

She waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine." she explained. "That's tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll just stay with you and celebrate your eighteenth birthday, and the day you became Kanto's best trainer!"

Ash was about to tell her that he still wasn't a pokemon master yet, but she had suddenly clutched his hand and was picking him up off the bed. "Come, follow me!" she giggled, leading him into the kitchen.

When she opened the door Ash was blown away. Dishes covered in his favourite foods were lined up neatly on the table like some sort of divine feast. Which it was. Serena looked at him, and chuckled to see his mouth wide. "Serena, you're too good to me!" he muttered, his trademark grin plastered over his face.

"Eat all you like!" she laughed. "I asked your mum what meals you liked, and so I tried my best!

Ash wasn't even listening; his eyes scanned the food which made his mouth water. Then he stepped backwards, and headed towards the other door. "I'm gonna get everyone in that case! We've gotta all eat together!"

He ran out, and Serena gathered the food and left after him. She laid it outside like a picnic, and they all ate that lunch together.

Serena and Ash were more than content to lay next to each other the entire evening, watching the pokemon play and occasionally joining in with their games, until finally dusk hit, and they both recalled their pokemon to rest.

"Looking back, it's pretty funny." Serena remarked randomly.

"Huh?"

She got up and looked at him. Their heads lay on the picnic blanket, as they faced the stars, twinkling in the moonlight. "If you hadn't been on the news that day when I first set off on my journey, I would've never recognised you, and I don't think I would've even left the house."

Ash shuddered. "Man, that's pretty scary to think about." But then he grinned. "Well, in that case, jumping off a tower could've been one of the best decisions I've ever made."

"Hey, don't even joke about that!" Serena pouted angrily. "What if I said that about the time I fell down the giant rock?!"

"Oh, sheesh..." shuddered Ash. "Don't remind me, that was the worst feeling of my life..."

She patted him on the shoulder, suddenly feeling guilty she had went too far. "But hey, it's what made you ask me out, so I'm glad it worked out."

Ash turned to his side, now directly facing her. "I do have one regret, though."

Her eyes beckoned him to continue. "I regret not telling you how I feel about you sooner."

She held him close to her, and pressed her cheek on his. "You can make that up to me by staying with me..!" she smiled.

* * *

The next day they woke up to find themselves, surprisingly, back in their room.

Ash tried to move, but for some reason, he wasn't able to. He looked down - and found himself bound loosely in the picnic blanket along with Serena.

She was incredulous, but Ash pointed to the window, showing her the pokemon outside. They must've fully knocked out while they were outside, and their faithful pokemon brought them back in. Ash silently thanked them for it, and then tried to wriggle out of the blanket. Eventually, they were free.

"Well, I guess you'd better get ready." Ash said. "You've got your meeting thingy, remember?"

Serena yawned. "Aw, man..." But she quickly cheered up. "Well, let's do this!"

Her and Ash let their pokemon to a play park, and told them simply to enjoy themselves before they get back. Then, they left, to head by taxi to the Pokemon Activities Committee in Saffron City.

Ash wore a top hat and funny moustache to disguise himself from fans who wanted to meet or battle him, as he only had Pikachu with him.

After Serena's loss in the Grand Festival and just after Ash caught Espeon, she had asked Mr Contesta if it was possible to bring pokemon showcases to other regions, such as Kanto itself. He had been more than happy to consider the idea, and so Serena had put together a meeting between him and the creator of Pokemon Showcases - Pierre of Kalos.

And this is where the meeting was set to take place.

Ash patted her on the back, giving her a kiss before she went inside. "Good luck!" he exclaimed.

Serena nodded gratefully. "I'll do my best!" she said, before slowly walking away, leaving Ash staring towards the air. After a moment, he turned to Pikachu, who sat perched on his shoulder. "So buddy, what do we do now?"

Pikachu crossed his paws in thought. Then, a lightbulb flashed in his head. "Chu, pika!"

Ash's eyes widened. "Oh yeah! Good idea!"

Serena was to be out all day, so he went to the pokemon center to write her a memo, letting him know where he was going - back to Pallet Town. After all, it was pretty much tradition for the small town to celebrate a noteworthy tournament placing - and especially this time, to celebrate their next champion. Ash could already tell they'd be anxious to see him.

So he called out his Charizard from where he had left his pokemon, and he and Pikachu jumped on his back, to head back to their home. What would've been a long travel was actually shorter than Ash expected as the Spearow flies, so Charizard was able to make that journey in about an hour, with a stop for lunch on Cinnabar Island along the way. However, throughout his journey Ash heard the cheers and shrieks of many people and paparazzi who saw him flying, and while he waved back he thought about what it truly meant to be the champion.

"Hey Charizard, how's it like being famous?" Ash smirked.

Charizard grinned also, and grunted.

"I wonder if I'd be able to handle all this media and attention." Ash continued.

This time, Pikachu was the one to reply, and he did so by flexing his small yellow arms, as if to demonstrate fending off unwelcome press, which made Ash laugh again.

Soon enough, Charizard landed in Pallet Town.

Immediately, he growled loudly. Ash raised an eyebrow - when Charizard randomly breathed fire all over a lone tree by where they landed.

Ash stared at Charizard curiously, but then he heard a scream from behind what the massive dragon had burned.

A man with a green shirt and red headband stomped up to them, his clothes visibly singed from Charizard's flame. He looked infuriated, but then Ash registered his looks. From the looks of things, so did the other man.

"Wait, is that you?" Ash gaped. "Tracey..?"

Tracey's sooty frown twisted into a stunned smile. "Ash! My goodness, you haven't changed at all!"

The two went in for a bro-hug, and Tracey dusted his clothes off. "Ash, the entire town's gathered in Oak's lab, for a little surprise party. Some people's even camped out to wait for you."

Ash was amazed. "Wow, I don't believe it! Let's go then!"

He took off down the hill, and Charizard, Pikachu and Tracey took off after him in pursuit.

They walked up to the laboratory, and Ash knocked.

It didn't take a second for someone to open the door. It creaked open, and Ash saw one very familiar face on the other end.

"Brock?! You're here!" he yelled.

And he was right. Staring back at him with thin eyes and beaming, was his closest friend and even mentor, the retired Pewter City Gym leader and aspiring Pokemon Doctor.

"Surprise, old friend!" Brock grinned. Then he ribbed him. "So, I heard you found 'the one', know what i mean?"

"Yeah, you can say that again." Ash smiled, but then it became a smirk. "And what about you? Has Croagunk approved of anyone yet?"

To his surprise, Brock sighed and stared into space. "Ah, if true love is the ability to keep your heart set on one beautiful girl then I must be a fairy tale!"

Ash tilted his head, utterly confused, but someone answered his unspoken question. "He's saying he's married." explained the voice behind him. It was Misty. "And she's a lovely woman too. Pretty much the same as Brock in terms of personality."

"You what?!" Ash gasped, genuinely amazed. "Well congratulations!"

Then he turned to Misty. "How's it going?" he asked, high fiving her."

She only shrugged and nodded back, with a grin.

Brock bowed his head to Ash. "Ash, I'm genuinely so sorry I didn't invite you to our wedding, but I didn't want to interrupt your Kalos League. I came out there to let you know the news, but I guess you already went back home."

Ash patted his shoulder. "Man, I wish I coulda been there but don't worry about it! I'd love to meet her though."

Brock pumped a fist. "Deal! Perhaps when I've got a holiday I'll invite you and your lover over!" he nudged Ash in the shoulder and winked when he said 'lover', just to embarrass the boy. Misty just laughed.

The old professor came over to the three as well. "Ah, seeing you three remind me of the old days of your journeys. How nostalgic!" he paused, and opened the back door. "Anyway, now that you're here, we can finally get this Pallet Party started!"

Ash sat and caught up with Misty, Tracey and Brock, and also his mum, eating a delectable meal and most importantly, not being attacked by Team Rocket. When dusk hit and the others went home, leaving the four of them outside to watch the sunset, they heard a voice call out; "Ash!"

They turned around - Serena was running towards them. "Hey, Serena!"

He got up, and greeted the girl with a hug and kiss, which startled Misty and Tracey especially, while Brock just nodded acceptingly. "Serena, these are some of my oldest friends, Tracey, Brock, you've already met Misty... Brock, Tracey, this is Serena, my... girlfriend." he blushed.

Brock slapped him affectionately on the back. "I gotta say, you two look like a match made in heaven!"

Misty facepalmed. "Don't get Brock off on one about love again..."

Unfortunately for Ash and Serena, she was right to be nervous, as Brock started to talk non-stop, cheesy and even nonsensical things. After a minute, they agreed with Misty to ignore him and Ash turned to Serena, with a sudden idea rising and taking over his thoughts.

"So how did your fancy 'meeting' go?"

Serena put a finger against her chin. "I can only hope it went well. Contesta promised to let me know, so only time will tell now."

They fell silent once more. "Sweetie..?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

He hesitated, trying to think of how to ask her what he was thinking. "Do you... Do you want to take a holiday?"


	24. Chapter 23: It's not a miracle

**Chapter 23: ****It's not a miracle...**

* * *

Yesterday

"Do you want to take a holiday?" Ash asked.

Serena looked surprised and then smiled. "That sounds lovely!" she then tilted her head. "But where to?"

Ash grinned. He thought back to the semifinal round of the Indigo League, and what the girl Stephanie had said to him.

"I know just the place!"

* * *

Today

"Happy birthday, Serena!"

Ash showed Serena onto the luxury liner that would be taking them to their next adventure, which, as the couple hoped, would be a lot more laid back than their previous two years together, in which Ash had faced two huge league tournaments, an elite four and the Kanto's champion in order to take his place, and Serena, who won a Kalos Master Class, ended the Kanto grand festival in the semifinals, and managed to advocate showcases to the rest of the world.

And now, the two of them were headed towards the Alola region - sight of their next, sightseeing adventure.

"Ash, this is a beautiful boat!" Serena exclaimed, looking around from the top deck.

Ash clearly agreed, also quite relieved that she liked it. Boat rides weren't exactly cheap, after all. But more than that, it was because something else was on his mind.

It gnawed at his mind, making his stomach feel queasy. Unfortunately for him, it didn't take long for his girlfriend to notice. "Ash, what's the matter?" she asked.

"Oh, it's nothing, just seasickness." he said hurriedly, but it didn't sit right with Serena, who continued to watch him, concernedly.

"That's quite unlike you, sweetie..." she mentioned, wrapping her arms around him. Ash turned to her and beamed. However, the feeling never went away, though he tried his best to come across as contented.

After about an hour of wandering the ship's interior, Serena felt slightly unnerved. "This place... There's barely anyone here. I wonder what's up?"

Ash looked around. "You're right. But, I can't really complain. It's peaceful, in a way." Serena couldn't argue with that, and instead sighed.

"Ash, I can tell something's on your mind. You're not acting yourself." Serena questioned.

"I, uh... I don't know. Really." he said nervously. "But Serena, can I ask you something?"

She leaned in intently. "Yeah, what is it?"

Ash hesitated slightly before beginning. "Well... I was wondering... After I beat Red, my mom called me up and told me that champions get a prize money gift, plus a villa of their choosing, so I was wondering..."

He took a deep breath, and continued. "D-do you want to live with me in Kanto?"

Serena was starstruck. "Oh my goodness Ash... You don't have to look so worried! I'd love to live with you!" she beamed, kissing him on the lips. "Save for being the best performer I can be... You, Ash Ketchum, are my goal!"

Ash tried not to start crying from the relief. In actuality, this wasn't what was on his mind but Serena's acceptance made him feel as though a weight had been lifted, putting him at ease around her. He returned the kiss, and broke away with a smile on his face. "Serena, you mean the world to me, you know that?"

However, the smile didn't last long, and he frowned. "Boy, I am hungry. How about you?"

Serena tilted her head. "Now that you mention it..."

Ash ran over to a map, printed casually on a wall. "So it says we're here, which means the ship's canteen is... Oh, back up on the top deck. How about we buy something?"

Serena nodded, following him out into the open ."Okay, you find us a table and I'll order, I guess." he told her.

Serena complied, leaving Ash by the counter to buy something. He smiled at the bartender. "Hey, can I get us some ramen noodles with two, uh, cocktails?"

The bartender, in a dull tuxedo, nodded, though his eyes and head was covered by a top hat and sunglasses. It was only natural - even Ash himself was wearing a suit.

The bartender's voice was strangely young. "You got it pal. Two of our specialty cocktails, and some ramen, coming right up!" he said, giving Ash a massive grin.

"Thanks a lot!" Ash said, grinning back. "Oh, and uh... I'm gonna do it. Get the others."

* * *

Serena watched Ash walk over to her table in the open air. She had picked a breathtaking spot - the sun was out and shining brightly above them, as several wingull sauntered overhead chirruping happily which made Ash seem pleased as well. The fresh air from the sea lingered around the boat; a refreshing taste in their lungs.

The two spoke casually, about the region, pokemon, et cetera, until the meal came over.

"Enjoy!" The waitress exclaimed, winking at the couple. Serena didn't seem to notice the waitress's odd enthusiasm, thus the two of them ate, while the people who were previously sat down all seemed to leave the room one by one, leaving them all alone.

Serena smiled at Ash. "This boat sure has such a romantic atmosphere, don't you think?"

"That's why I chose it, beautiful." Ash smirked, getting a blush out of Serena. He sipped his cocktail. "Wow, this is good!" He exclaimed loudly. "Thank goodness I'm finally able to try some."

Serena giggled. "You're something else, aren't you?"

"If I am, I'm glad you're here to sort me out." Ash chuckled. He raised his glass. "I've never made a toast before, but allow me to do so now." He said, putting on a mocked posh accent. "To the most beautiful, thoughtful and caring girl in the world, and the dense idiot whose life she brought perfection into."

She clinked her glass against his while laughing. "You're so silly, Ash."

When she caught her breath back from the laughter, she spoke. "Also, to the bravest, kindest person, who decided to give this girl the best life ever."

* * *

Suddenly, Serena felt a lurch, and noticed the ferry come to a halt in the middle of the ocean. "Hang on, the boats not moving. What happened?"

Ash, however, didn't answer and instead took another gulp of alcohol. "Serena, I have something I need to say."

Now the girl was totally confused, and worried. What was going on..?

Ash gazed into her eyes; they were big and dazzling. He felt himself melt into her gaze, one of a now adult woman, but he shook off this infatuation, if only to have it replaced by a burning passion.

"Serena, the day I first met you, I hadn't realised it then, but it certainly was the best day of my life. And I myself am the luckiest man to have something like this. Your personality, attitude and everything about you is something to look up to, and I hope that I can spend the rest of my life by your side."

Serena's eyes widened as she smiled at him. "That means so much to me Ash... I will, I'll happily spend my life together with you."

Ash stood up, and with one hand in his pocket, his grip tightened around a box in his pocket. This was it. Do or die.

"Then in that case..." he muttered;

He took a step away from the table, and pulled the box from out of his pocket, prising it open to reveal an engagement ring, glistening gold with a diamond that caught the beautiful sunlight. Ash let his pokemon, his five Kalos native pokemon and Pikachu as well burst out of their pokeballs, each of them goading the young man on.

Ash bent down onto one knee, presenting the ring to his love in front of him.

At that very moment, the heart of the honey-blonde haired, Kalos raised girl, skipped a beat. Tears rolled uncontrollably out of her eyes and onto the ship deck. Serena's mouth went dry, as the perfect scene in front of her was just too good to be true. Yet, the source of her overwhelming heartache was still not finished with speaking.

"Life has never been more perfect when I'm around you. I feel like I can take on anything. You were the reason I am Kanto's champion now. I owe everything to you, so I will do whatever I can to make it up to you, if you'd let me.

So Serena, will you... Will you marry me..?"

The girl almost collapsed, but her pokemon let themselves out, as they gave her a group hug. Those five creatures who Serena befriended felt her love, affection and happiness, and were so happy that she could finally have what she always wanted - the boy who saved her, and taught her compassion, friendship and courage, all those many years ago.

* * *

Serena flashed back to their adventures together, but also, she remembered their time in summer camp twelve years ago.

"Ash!"

"Serena!"

A young Ash Ketchum ran quickly over to a young Serena Yvonne, and grinned. "I found you! Hey, look! I made a friend!"

With that, he pointed at a butterfree who was on his head.

Serena smiled. "Yeah! She's the cutest!"

Butterfree buzzed happily, and fluttered over them both. "So what do you wanna do? There's still a lot of free time before we all get together for dinner."

Serena thought about it. "Well, there was this kid, I think his name was Go, and he kept talking about finding Mew, so do you wanna look around for it?"

Ash looked thrilled. "That's an awesome idea! Let's go!" he grabbed her hand, causing the girl to blush heavily, and the two, with a wild butterfree in playful pursuit ran towards the mountains.

* * *

He had been the one to make her brave. To make her love pokemon rather than fear them. But he also brought adventure, and joy into her life, and she knew she'd be forever grateful.

"Ash..." she sobbed through her joyous smile. "Yes, yes! I will!"

Ash moved closer to her and kissed her on the lips. "Serena, I'll never be able to tell you just how much I love you..."

She didn't say a word, just wiped away her tears and continued to pour her soul into the kiss.

The pokemon behind them were ecstatic, but Ash broke away after several passionate seconds, and he took Serena's hand. "I have to show you something. Let's go!"

Her face was red, sweat dripping from the exhilaration, yet she followed him, bliss evident in her face.

Ash opened a door and stepped back. "After you, my love."

The last thing Serena had been expecting, was to walk inside and see a huge group of her dearest friends. Yet, when she walked in that was exactly what she faced.

Bonnie, Clemont, Tierno, Shauna, Trevor, Aria, Mairin, May and her and Ash's mothers, as well as eight or so other people staring back at them, all dressed up in suits and dresses.

Ash sidled over to Serena. "Surprise..!" he whispered.

Serena nearly broke down crying right then and there, but she stopped herself, though tears still continued to stream from her eyes.

Bonnie was the first to go up to her. "Serenaaa! I've missed you!" she shouted, giving her a hug.

Clemont followed closely behind her, smiling kindly. "Congratulations, you two! Bonnie always told me there was something there, but this is just so nice to see."

As it turns out, Ash had planned this party all along.

The reason why the boat stopped was so that Ash's friend Cilan could steer it off course, to Kalos, where Alain and Professor Sycamore was setting up their wedding.

Ash had invited his old traveling friends, Misty, Brock, Tracy, May, Max, Dawn, Iris and Cilan, as well as Serena's friends, who were all on the boat.

Currently, Serena was catching up with everyone they knew, while Ash was... Also catching up with his friends, in the form of being punched playfully in the back of the head by Iris, Brock grabbing him into a bear hug, and being laughed at hard by Dawn, Max and Misty.

May, however, was jovial. "Oh my goodness Ash!" she squealed. "I was so sceptical you could propose like a normal boyfriend, but I'm so happy for youuuu!"

Ash groaned. "Can you not talk about me like I'm some sorta freak?"

May ignored him, as Dawn took over. "I've never met this girl before, but she looks absolutely perfect for you!"

Iris on the other hand guffawed. "No, she looks too good for you! She's clean, well behaved, girly..."

Ash facepalmed, beaming hugely. "Yeah, she is too good. I'm a lucky guy..."

May hugged him again. "I've never seen you so lovestruck, Ash!" she teased.

Her brother, Max, seemed cynical. "Yeah, do it more so that everyone can make fun of you." he joked.

Ash tilted his head, unconcerned about about the teasing. "Oh yeah, we need to catch up! How have you all been doing?"

* * *

Brock was happily married to a woman he met on a study trip to the Alola region. He asked her out immediately after noticing her, and apart from watching him receive a swift poison jab from a skeptical Croagunk, she happily accepted the date invitation, absolutely baffling the blue frog. Several weeks later, and you have both of them, wedding rings on their fingers, living and working together, though they had a quick honeymoon through Kalos.

The woman told Ash that she was an "island kahuna" who governs an "island challenge". Ash immediately got excited when she explained what island challenges were, which made Brock and the others laugh, probably as they all expected it from him.

As for himself, he was a fully fledged Pokemon doctor and he had his own clinic open, however in his free time he worked towards being a pokemon breeder.

Misty had given up on the gym after Ash beat her, and instead she had went to the Kalos region to get a mega stone for her Gyarados. She was currently challenging the Battle Frontier before Ash called her over.

Tracey still worked alongside professor Oak, but he had been transferred to the Kalos region to collect sketches on their native pokemon, where he traveled with Misty for a while until she went back home. Ash couldn't quite work out why their was a blush on his and Misty's face as he mentioned that fact.

May had been inspired by Ash to have gone for one last fresh start in her home region. So far she had gotten five ribbons, and was waiting for the grand festival to start.

Dawn was already Sinnoh's top coordinator - after losing a close shave against May in Johto's grand festival semifinals, she decided to head home and try her hand at Sinnoh's contests, and she won the grand festival. Ash had called her while she was in Unova, advocating for the addition of Pokémon Contests in that region as well.

Cilan was an S rank connoisseur and quite proud of it, too. He had made a lot of money working in his own firm, so he decided to retire early and instead pursue his many, many interests. As it turns out, boating was one of them, which is why he was the one who actually suggested Ash take Serena out on a ferry ride, though he never expected him to want to propose to her there.

Iris had just beaten the Unova League, with the help of her newly evolved Haxorus, Hydreigon, Garchomp and Dragonite, as well as Emolga and Excadrill; she secretly credited Ash with helping her to learn how to switch her battling strategy, and thus when she faced Georgia she routinely used the battlefield to stop Ice types. However, she rued Kalos because of its large population of Fairy types, and vowed never to go there. Instead, she was ready to fight Alder, just needed to get past Caitlin of the Elite Four.

Bonnie had turned 10 only a few months ago, and she was already on the move catching pokemon with Dedenne after Clemont had given her pokeball for Bonnie's birthday. She vowed to meet Squishy again, but as for her dream - she didn't know yet. However, she had caught a Litleo and a Scatterbug.

* * *

"Max, how about you?" Ash asked eagerly. "You're ten now, right? Have you started traveling?"

Max thumped his chest proudly. "Eleven, actually. And you won't believe this, but check this out."

He grabbed three pokeballs and lobbed them into the air.

Ash's eyes widened when he saw what came out of them. "Holy Arceus!"

Jirachi and Ralts hovered by Max's side, and on his left, with a leafy arm around Max's shoulder, was a Grovyle.

Ash pointed, impressed. "Are they the same ones that you befriended while traveling with us?"

Max nodded. "The very ones. I went immediately back to the forest I met Ralts the second I turned ten and May gave me a set of pokeballs. It took about a day of wandering with only Grovyle here, when he was just a Treeko I got from professor Birch, but I found him eventually and then after that, I went to Star Cave and long story short, Jirachi was awake and still recognised me, so there you have it."

Ash grinned. "I'm happy for you, buddy."

"Yeah, and I've got five badges, now that I've beaten Dad. Soon, I'll win the Hoenn League, win against Steven, and then we can have the battle you promised all those years ago!"

He stuck out his fist for a fist-bump, which Ash did. "You're on, Max!"

* * *

After a party, the boat landed at Lumiose Pier, where Alain and Sycamore were waiting. They greeted each other, and the professor led them all to a hotel he had booked for everyone.

Ash got changed into his pyjamas, and collapsed onto the bed, completely shattered. "Today's been really hectic." he remarked.

Serena beamed and lay on top of him. "Oh, it's been the best day of my life."

Ash grinned and pulled her closer into a hug. "Best day of your life so far, sweetheart."

Serena blushed. "Ash, I love you so much."

"I love you too, Serena."


	25. Epilogue: Life goes On

**Chapter 24: Life goes on! ****(ENDING)**

* * *

The sun was just beginning to emerge over the horizon when a dark figure, illuminated by the moonlight and the faint glow of dawn, snuck into the lone laboratory of Pallet Town.

The only audible noise in that remote little town was the sound of that figure's footsteps, moving closer and closer to a flickering light inside the lab.

"Well, that took you long enough." Oak said harshly, raising his head to see the intruder in front of him.

"Sorry, sorry! It was a lot harder to get back than I expected, especially after catching that Charmander." Ash chuckled quietly, taking and dusting off his cap.

Oak sighed. "Well, just in time, at least. Though I was getting quite restless. It's good that there's only three kids getting these starters, or we'd have the same problem that you had!"

"Hey, that problem turned out to be my best friend!" Ash laughed, a lot louder this time. "Besides, oversleeping is another thing that Calem doesn't get from either parent."

"Well, thank goodness for that! Although, Leaf is probably gonna be the one to oversleep, I bet." Oak smiled. "My, it's hard to believe I'm a great grandfather and still going mighty strong!" He patted his chest proudly. And he was right - Ash didn't know his real age, but considering Ash himself was already 30, It's a wonder the Professor was as nimble as he was twelve years ago. Even if now Tracy was the one taking care of the lab, Oak still lived in it, retired but taking care of all the pokemon living in it, and every one of them respected him.

"I'd best get back before anybody wakes up, otherwise it'd be a bit suspicious, you know?" sighed Ash.

Oak nodded. "Well, I'll hope to see you and Gary later!"

Ash waved goodbye as he turned to leave. "Yep - see you soon!"

* * *

Ash crept into his home through the back door and as quietly as possible, tiptoed up into his bedroom, and climbed carefully into bed.

The girl next to him opened one eye and smiled. "Did it go well?"

Ash patted her on the head. "You bet. All three starters - hopefully perfect for those three."

"I'm sure they'll love them very much." Serena reassured him, and snuggled closer, until Ash's eyelids felt too heavy to keep open.

* * *

"Dad, Mom, wake up!"

Ash felt something hard land on his exposed tummy. He drew himself upwards, and forced himself to open his sleepy eyelids.

"Ashleigh..." He groaned. "I know you're excited, but do you really have to jump on me..?"

He looked at his hyperactive daughter, and couldn't help but smile. She definitely took after him in restlessness. Honey coloured hair like her mother, though her skin was as tan as Ash's.

She flapped her arms frantically. "But it's big brothers birthday! Cmon, we gotta celebrate!"

Serena, next to Ash, also rose, rubbing her eyes. "We know..." she yawned. "Okay, you go wake him up and we'll come too, 'kay?"

Ashleigh nodded excitedly and ran out.

Ash scratched his head and stepped out of bed, followed shortly by Serena. "Alright honey, let's start this big day off right!" he exclaimed, making Serena smile.

Ash stretched his arms, looking complacently at the walls. There were pictures everywhere, of him and Serena in various regions. One picture in Orre, where they were sightseeing in the Sacred Forest by Celebi's shrine, another set of photos posing with Pokémon Rangers in Fiore and Almia, the latter region Serena and Ash had taken part in the ranger school at age 19, though neither were particularly good at aiming capture stylers. At the very front was a picture of the couple along with Clemont, Bonnie and Korrina.

That was 14 years ago now.

All those memories plastered the walls in the form of printed photographs. They were experiences; reminders of their journey and all that they had learned.

They got changed and headed downstairs, where they saw their two kids, still in their pyjamas. The eldest child, just turned 10, talking excitedly with his younger sister, who was turning 7 later that month.

"Hey Calem, happy birthday!" Ash grinned, getting a grin back from his son.

"Cheers, Dad! And it's my tenth birthday, you know what that means!"

Ash nodded. "Of course I do! It's the day you become a trainer!"

Calem happily punched the air, as Serena headed into the kitchen. "Alright Calem, can't go out on an empty stomach!" she smiled.

Ash went after her to help. "Okay, you two set the table, cause we're having Calem's favourite!"

They cheered, and soon enough, they sat down to eat. Ash, Calem and Ashleigh both wolfed down their breakfasts and the two kids charged up the stairs to their rooms to get dressed.

Ash turned to his wife. "Absolute bundles of energy, aren't they?"

Serena chuckled. "That's right, just like you are."

Ash blushed. "I don't know about all that..." But Serena shook her head.

"I know Ashleigh especially looks up to you a lot." she explained with a kind smile. Ash nodded knowingly. After all, Serena knew, from the moment Ashleigh was born, that she had her father's eyes, brown and deep and caring, but most importantly, eyes that glinted with a passion. In fact it was why she named her after Ash.

She also thought about Calem's birth. Their first child; in the moment the greatest reason to be alive. Ash named him, a typical Kalosian name to remind them of their second home. Yet, Calem grew up very mild and calm, atypical of his parents nature's, but deep down Serena could tell there was a fire burning within him too, an ambition as deep as theirs were, all that time ago.

* * *

Two years earlier

* * *

"Hey Mom, is dad gonna be home soon?" Ashleigh asked with a hopeful smile.

Serena did not look pleased - which was understandable, as she had been waiting by the front door for well over an hour, so bored that she was able to clean the house a second time. The dinner she had left out for Ash had gone stone cold. "He had better be." she pouted. "Your father needs to get better at sticking to his word!"

As if on cue, The front door that Serena, Calem and Ashleigh were huddled around started to rattle with the sound of keys, and then swung open violently. "Sorry I'm late!" the man behind it announced.

"Ash, remind me when you said you'd be home..?" Serena questioned with a dark look about her eyes.

Ash sighed apologetically. "Honey I'm sorry, but-"

"You should be setting a good example for these two!" she scolded. Ash rubbed his scalp. His kids had gone quiet.

"Sorry you all..." he muttered, stretching out his arms. Ashleigh and Calem didn't hesitate to throw themselves at him, and he picked the two up in each arm, holding them both in a bear hug.

"Anyway, what did take you so long?" Serena sighed.

Ash's face lit up, and he rolled up his sleeve, while Pikachu yanked a box out of his backpack, which Ash promptly opened and showed to his family, revealing several arranged crystals.

"Wooah!" Ashleigh and Calem gasped in unison. Even Serena was impressed.

"I just found the Psychium Z, meaning only a Fairium Z to go, and I'll have found them all!" he explained, motioning to the bracelet on his wrist - a Z-Ring, which was currently holding an Electricium Z.

"Dad's so cool!" Ashleigh gushed, and Calem agreed unhesitantly.

"I'm gonna be that cool when I'm a pokemon trainer!" he declared. Serena couldn't help but crack a smile.

* * *

Present day

"Okay Dad, I'm ready!" Calem yelled several minutes later.

Ash grinned, reappearing from the room. "To the professor then, let's go!"

The two boys charged out the door, leaving Serena behind to let out an amused sigh. "Those two..." She remarked.

Ashleigh bolted down the stairs not a moment later. "Where's Dad and Calem?"

Serena gave her a pat on the head, making her daughter's long pigtails bounce slightly. "You just missed them, sweetheart."

Ashleigh's face fell, dejected. "Awwww..."

Serena picked her up carefully. "Well, if you can be very careful, I'll let you check up on the two Pikachus. That egg is looking pretty close to hatching right about now."

* * *

Ash and Calem sped down the road - not a long walk, to the laboratory, but when they got by the entrance, they saw two figures. They walked up to them, and saw the larger of the pair was Ash's close friend.

Ash ran up and gave her a handshake. "Heya Misty, how's it going? How's the husband?"

Misty smiled. "I'm great, thanks!" Then her face went somewhat grumpy. "Though, 'hows the husband' is something i need to know myself. Tracey's always off doing god knows what at Oak's lab. This'll be the first I see of him in days, and you bet I'm gonna lecture him for it. Anyway, I thought we might try and get here early, because I've encouraged this little one to be her own trainer, rather than follow in her mother's footsteps."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Wow, seeing a kind side to you is pretty rare." he snickered, making Misty scowl.

"That's because you're too stupid for me to ever show it!" she retorted angrily. Calem, along with Misty's daughter Lily, backed away slowly.

Ash looked at the two and grinned at Misty. "Well, seeing as those two aren't here yet, what do you say we go on without th-"

He was interrupted, however, by the sound of stomping behind them. The four turned around to see another pair race up behind them. "Ash! Misty!"

It was Gary Oak, followed by his daughter. They stopped in front of them. "Heya, everyone. Sorry we're late!"

Ash laughed. "Funny how the tables turn, isn't it?"

"Shut up, will ya?!" Gary scowled, but then he grinned. "Anyway, it's about time we get inside and get these three their first Pokémon!" Calem, Lily and Leaf cheered excitedly.

Calem went first, striding up to the front door and knocking on it. It swung open to reveal Professor Oak behind it, beaming proudly.

"I've been expecting you three! And happy birthday to you, Calem!"

Calem nodded happily. "Thanks, professor!"

"Now, let's not waste any time, shall we? Off to get your first pokemon!"

The three ten year olds were delighted, racing into the lab behind the professor. Ash, Gary and Misty simultaneously followed behind them with smiles across their faces.

There were three pokeballs resting on a podium. Ash noted the stickers on each of them. A flame, a droplet and a leaf.

Professor Oak tapped the buttons on all three pokeballs, and they opened, bursting forth a rush of blue light. The children watched, dazzled, as their parents stood back.

On the podium next to their pokeballs revealed a Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander. The kids looked between them.

Calem leaned over, looking intently at the orange lizard, the flame on its tail drifting back and forth happily. "Hey Charmander." Calem said quietly. "How'd you like to come with me?"

Charmander beamed. "Char!"

A huge grin crept across his face. "That's awesome! Professor, I'll take him!"

"Her, actually." Oak corrected him. "Well, I believe all of these starters are female. you can check out all of the technical stuff about your pokemon on this." he reached into a drawer and pulled out a red gadget with a set of lights on it. It had a folding screen, just like Ash's old one.

"Man, those Dex's haven't changed a bit!" Ash remarked.

"That's right, but they have been updated to take the world's pokemon, rather than just Kanto's 150." Oak chuckled.

Meanwhile, Lily was giggling away with a Squirtle in her lap. "Professor, can I have her?" she asked, her eyes glowing.

Misty was starstruck. "You know, I'm quite glad in a way that she chose a water type." she muttered to Ash and Gary. "Means I can teach her all I know."

"Being a water type master must run in the family." Ash shrugged with a smile.

Leaf went over to Bulbasaur and gave her a cuddle. "Aw, then I'm left with the best one!" she beamed, getting a blush out of the small grass-type dinosaur.

Oak handed the two of them their respective pokeballs and Pokédex's, before walking in front of everyone, clearing his throat.

"From this day forward, you three are officially pokemon trainers." he began. Ash nodded towards them, pride evident on his face. "Nowadays, a bond between people and Pokémon are key. They should be your companions first and foremost, your friends and family. Raise them with respect, and they'll respect you. Usually." He added that last part while glancing at Ash. Ash laughed, somewhat sheepishly as he knew full well that sometimes it just wasn't going to be that simple. But he had full confidence that his son would learn, just as he did.

In fact, Ash had given him and Ashleigh plenty of exposure to pokemon, both with the ones he's raised, and showing them wild pokemon. Calem tended to be more reserved but still confident, while Ashleigh was always playful. Serena often fretted when she got into scrapes, but Ashleigh always brushed them off like nothing.

Oak continued. "But, from now on its up to you to figure out everything you need to know. With your pokemon by your side, you can do anything, you just need to find that dream together."

Calem punched the air, and Charmander clumsily copied him. "I already know what I want to do." he turned to Charmander. "Whaddaya say we be Kanto's top coordinator?"

Charmander grinned back. "Char, char!"

Misty smirked. "I can tell he's his mother's kid." she whispered to Ash. However, Ash didn't pay her any mind and instead patted his son on the shoulder. "As long as you have spirit, you and Charmander will achieve anything. So go for it! I'm sure your mom will tell you about performing and contests, you know?"

Calem grinned. "Thanks, Dad! Let's go back home then! I wanna give Mom and Ashleigh a proper goodbye before I head out."

The thought of Calem leaving rarely crossed into his emotions until now. Ash expected pathos and sadness watching his firstborn finally fly the nest, but to his surprise, he felt nothing of the sort. Nothing but pride. Perhaps it was because he had expected and prepared for this occasion for a while, but perhaps because he had faced it himself, and it's what shaped him to be who he was. There was no way he'd ever want his children to miss out on that kind of experience. "You got it bud. Alright Professor, thanks very much!"

"Yes, thank you professor Oak!" Calem repeated enthusiastically.

They waved their goodbyes to Professor Oak and returned back to their home - a large but still homely estate built on the edges of Pallet, by the sea.

"We're home!" Ash called out. Footsteps suddenly thundered down the stairs.

"Hey, honey." he said, giving Serena a kiss on the cheek.

She seemed frantic. "Ash, the egg, the egg!" She gasped. Calem and Ash's eyes widened, and they rushed into Pikachu's bedroom.

Popstar and Pikachu stood over a yellow egg with a black base, their eyes wide and expecting. Ashleigh was squatted in front of it, as it wiggled aggressively, and sure enough, it flashed bright.

They all gasped.

The egg flashed again.

And again.

It made quiet whirring noises as the flashes became brighter and lasted longer. Then finally, after glowing for a solid 20 seconds of restless anticipation, the shape of the egg started to morph, growing big triangular ears and a small body. When the glow lifted it revealed a small yellow mouse, a small version of the duo of Pikachu and Popstar.

"Pi.. chu?" the tiny little creature squeaked.

Serena high fived Ash. "Oh my goodness, it hatched! What an adorable Pichu!"

Ash stared exhilarated, as Popstar tackled Pikachu into a hug, squealing with the delight that Pikachu reciprocated.

Ashleigh gazed at the dazed baby pokemon. "Pichu?" It squeaked again. Then it beamed hugely, taking a step and started to pace around, awed by its own ability to move.

Ashleigh giggled, sidling up close to the pokemon. "Pichu, will you be my friend?" She whispered.

The tiny mouse jumped up with profound excitement, leaping up high and landing on Ashleigh's hands. The girl beamed. "Aw, I love you Pichu!"

Pichu crawled up onto her head and they charged around the room as the two Pikachu's watched, amused but also somewhat concerned. However, Ash's Pikachu lay a reassuring paw on Popstar, to tell her that Ashleigh may be a handful, but she would be as caring as her parents when it came to pokemon. That managed to relax the dressed-up Pikachu a little bit.

Ash and Serena looked at each other. "She's just like her father, isn't she?" she smiled.

"She's got my spirit, but let's hope she gets your brain!" Ash laughed, and he kissed Serena affectionately.

Calem groaned. "You guys are always so lovey-dovey all the time, it's so weird!"

Ash snickered. "Oh, is it now?" He wrapped his arms around his wife, and stuck his tongue out at his son, who responded with some jokingly disgusted noises.

"So Calem, who'd you choose?" Serena asked, paying no attention to his altercation with his father.

The boy gingerly took out his pokeball and opened it; Charmander soon emerged from it's light. Serena beamed. "Charmander, eh? Fire types are always brilliant starters to have, I reckon!" she winked, pulling out a pokeball of her own. "Delphox, come on out!"

Serena's red and beige coloured fox appeared, kneeling down in front of an awestruck Charmander. "Mom, we're gonna be the best coordinator's ever, you'll see!" Calem beamed, picking up Charmander.

Serena beamed. "I'm glad to hear it!" then she walked him out of the room. "Well, you go get your bag packed. I've left you some Oran berries and pokeballs on the table, so make sure you don't leave without them!"

Ashleigh had been playing with Pichu for a while, with Ash and the Pikachu couple watching, pleased. "Hey Daddy?"

"Yeah?" Ash replied.

"I wanna be just like you when I become a trainer!" she exclaimed. "Me and Pichu, together, will travel the world and be pokemon masters just like you, and we'll beat you and Pikachu as well!"

She placed Pichu on her shoulder as an imitation of her father and his own partner. Ash grinned and picked her up, giving her a kiss.

Ashleigh carried on talking. "Yeah, we'll beat every league and become the best trainers you've ever seen!"

Ash put her down and ruffled her hair kindly. "Wow! Every league, huh? Not even I've done that!" he laughed. "Ashleigh, you got big dreams, and I like that! And when you're older, you go and make friends with lots of pokemon, and with them, go and make your dreams a reality, just like your Mama and I did. Got that?"

Ashleigh nodded. "Yeah, got it!"

"Well, I'm gonna go out for a bit, but you help your mother with the cooking. We're gonna give your brother a proper sendoff." He said before leaving his daughter in the care of the two trusty Pikachus.

"Hey, where are you going?" Ashleigh questioned.

Ash pondered. "Have you ever met that little kid, Junior, from the other end of Pallet?"

Ashleigh nodded. "Yeah! He's really nice and funny!"

Ash pondered on how to word this without alarming his daughter enough to tell Serena. "Well, his parents are my, urm, good friends, and so I wanted to just check up on them."

"Okay! Is Mum coming with you?"

Ash shook his head. "Nah, she's quite busy. Help her out, will ya?"

Ashleigh nodded and took off down the stairs, while Pichu held on to her bobbing pigtails.

Ash left the house and walked what he thought was about half a mile down to a really remote house, down the side of Route 1.

He went up, took a deep breath and knocked on the door. After a few moments, the door opened a crack. "Hello?" answered a woman; a very mature voice. Then she saw Ash and opened the door fully. She was a slim woman, with short pink hair, and green earrings. "What are you doing here?" she questioned.

Ash shrugged. "Not even a nice to see you again, after what must've been over a decade?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I never dreamt _you_ of all people would just casually come and say hello, twerp."

"Jessie, don't worry about it. I've let the past behind me. I think I'd stop nursing a grudge over that long." Ash tried to reassure the woman. He tried a smile, towards a person that he had known, originally as his enemy, to show her that they were enemies no longer.

When he said that, her closed off expression became visibly warmer, and she smiled kindly. "Well, I appreciate that a lot. Want to come in?"

Ash politely accepted, and took off his shoes, and sat down at their table. Jessie sat opposite. "Don't mind the snoring." she sighed. "James fell asleep in the sink. I think his job's taking a toll on him."

Ash grimaced. "Why, still part of Team Rocket?"

Jessie shook her head. "Heavens, no. Team Rocket disbanded, like, after we failed in Unova.

Ash's eyes widened. "Unova? But why were you chasing Pikachu throughout Kalos after that?!"

Jessie grimaced. "That foul Giovanni never told us. He just left us to our own devices and when the Team Flare rubbish started, we never got any backup. So Meowth, James and I just settled down." Her expression lightened, and a blush came about her face. "Then James proposed to me."

Ash grinned. "How cute." then he tilted his head. "So where's Meowth now?"

"We live separately, because Meowth moved back to Hollywood, but him and James opened a business together about organising holidays and honeymoons for people, and they're pretty successful. As for me, I generally only take care of Junior now."

Ash nodded. "I'm just really glad you guys have gone good finally."

Jessie glared. "Is that why you came over? To check out if we were still Team Rocket?"

Ash waved a dismissive hand. "Not at all. In fact, I kinda had an idea already, because I've seen you take Junior around to Oak's camp. He's good friends with my daughter, actually."

Jessie smiled. "That's good to know. Then I'm glad you came over." she furrowed her eyebrows. "And we're sorry for causing you trouble as a kid. But we'll make it up to you somehow."

"Perhaps James could book us a holiday!" laughed Ash, and Jessie did also.

Then, he paused. "Hang on a minute. A holiday..." he muttered.

He leapt up. "Jessie, I had an idea!"

She looked at him, confused. "Eh?"

"It's... Oh, don't worry! Thanks for having me over, I gotta get home!" he almost shouted. Then he turned and left.

A purple haired man traipsed out of the kitchen. He had a goatee, which was quite dishevelled from him being asleep on a counter. "Was someone here just now?" he moaned.

Jessie just smiled. "Don't worry about it, James. Just an old friend."

James smiled back. "Oh well. Where's Junior? Outside playing with Mime Jr and Wobbuffet?"

Jessie just nodded once, and James chuckled to himself before walking outside to call his son back in.

* * *

Ash went back home to see Serena glumly staring towards nothingness while cleaning a saucepan. "What's the matter, sweetheart?" he asked.

"Ten years." she said simply. Ash tilted his head, though he knew exactly what she meant.

Ten years since they had their first child, and ten years since they stopped travelling. Serena had retired as the Kanto Queen, and had pretty much become a housewife, just to keep an eye on Ashleigh, who had always been a troublemaker. Obviously, the life was relaxing, and her kids were her everything, yet she missed the life she had, travelling regions and experiencing new things.

Ash knew full well how she felt as well, after all, he had been challenged for his title once a year, though none had succeeded these twelve years, he still had to put such effort into the battles, into learning Z-moves, finding mega stones, and such, all while staying in the Kanto region so as to not be away from home.

However he tried his hardest, for the sake of his children, who he promised he would not leave for the sake of his career. After all, his and Serena's dad had left, and they both knew the kinds of stress their mothers had taking care of them. Ash vowed not to be that father.

He spoke, his expression seeming rather upbeat, to Serena's surprise. "Well, I think we can do something about that now." he smiled.

"Huh?" Serena, evidently, had no idea what Ash was talking about.

"Serena, now that Calem's going off and Ashleigh's got a pokemon to keep her in line, well, it just made me think." he stopped, took a deep breath and continued. "We both never wanted to do what our dads did, and just leave to go and get our dreams separated. And look at us. Champion, and previous Kanto Queen. We were able to do it. But we don't have to worry about Calem anymore. He's a smart kid, just like you, and he'll be fine going around Kanto and winning those five contests and the grand festival, all that stuff..."

He hesitated, then looked into Serena's deep blue eyes. The woman in front of him, beautiful as the day he married her, stared back. "Oak was telling me about the Galar region. Small place, but so many Pokémon I've never even seen before. Do you want to take Ashleigh, and go on an adventure, just like the old days?"

Serena beamed - a joyous tear escaped her eye. "Oh Ash... How did I find someone like you..?"

Ash grinned, kissing her on the lips. "That's a question I always ask myself about you."

* * *

Twelve years earlier

* * *

The wedding ceremony was held in Lumiose Tower, a feat Clemont didn't object to, and even helped set up. the walls shone with the light from the outside windows, beaming one huge ray onto the altar, making the place seem heavenly. When Ash entered that day twelve years ago, he was absolutely blown away. Kalos may have been known as the land of love, but they really had outdone themselves.

Ash was shoved into a suit by Brock only ten minutes before, and they had needed to run there to avoid being late.

He walked up the aisle and stood at the altar, bliss in his heart. There was whistling and cheering from the seats around him.

Then she walked in.

Serena, with Grace leading her, smiled at Ash, continuously blushing as she walked up the aisle. Her looks stole the boy's breath - a pure white dress and veil covered her body, and made her incredible features shine like the sun. He took a second to realise that he, of all people, would be marrying such an amazing girl.

She stood next to Ash, and the room fell silent as the minister prepared to read their vows. Ash had to stifle a chuckle - he knew full well that the thing he wanted most in life, was to live and share his life with the amazing girl before him.

* * *

And now it was the present. Ash told his daughter playing outside with the local Pidgey flock the good news, which she jumped up and down to hear, and ran away to pack her stuff immediately.

He smiled, and looked to the sky. It was shining a crystalline blue, surreal as his life was. He was sure that when he first started traveling two decades ago, he dreamed of being a pokemon master, but he never imagined he'd settle. Yet he was happy and couldn't ask for more. His friends were just as successful.

Misty, a water type master, and supreme gym leader of the Orange Islands, though she had rarely received challenges and thus stayed in Kanto to raise Lily.

Brock, a successful pokemon breeder, retired doctor and most importantly for him, father of five very rowdy children.

Tracey, Kanto's new professor as the role was given to him by Oak himself, not to mention a respected artist.

May and Dawn, Hoenn and Sinnoh's top coordinators, respectively.

Max, the champion of Hoenn.

Iris, the champion of Unova and Dragon master, famous for having an unrecognisable but incredible strategy against Ice and Fairy types.

Cilan, retired S-Class connoisseur, and still traveling with his son, as a well-known documentary host currently working on a show about pokemon in trainers lives.

Clemont, the inventor and prodigy, most well known for creating a computer hardware called the Interweb, which billions across the world connect over any computer or smartphone.

Bonnie, who oddly enough, went to Almia to become a Pokemon Ranger when she turned 16, although Dedenne had always stuck with her, as her partner pokemon. Six years later, and she is a Top Ranger, working in the Kalos region mainly to maintain order, and hoping to one day meet Zygarde again.

Everyone had worked hard and never gave up when working towards their individual dreams. And now, they had achieved their goal. It was time for the next generation to start theirs.

* * *

"Dad, Mom, thanks for everything." said Calem.

The family, Ash, Serena, Calem and Ashleigh stood by the only road out of Pallet Town.

Serena's eyes widened. "Hey, how about a picture? To celebrate the occasion!"

"Hey, good idea!" Ash exclaimed. "Okay kids, come closer! Let's have a group picture!"

He swiped five pokeballs into his hands and expertly threw them into the air, and they all opened before dropping back cleanly onto his belt. From those balls emerged the pokémon Ash had been with to catch the starter pokemon for professor Oak - Greninja, Staraptor, Espeon, Sceptile and Lycanroc, and they all - including Pikachu - lined up next to their trainer for the picture. Ashleigh gaped at them all, and proceeded to hug each and every one before standing next to them, Pichu on her head.

Serena did so also, throwing her six pokeballs - Delphox, Pancham, Sylveon, Popstar, Wigglytuff and Ribombee. They all stood with Serena, and Calem stood, with Charmander on his shoulder, between her and Delphox. Serena held her phone out in front of her, and took a selfie with all of them. She looked at it once more, and smiled. "Now I'll treasure this one for as long as I live." she stated, showing it to the others.

Ash stepped forward, stooping a little to be at eye level with his ten year old boy.

"So Calem, you know what to do when you get to Veridian City. Just look for a Pokemon Center to get your contest pass." Ash explained, and Calem nodded. "And us three will be off to the airport to go to the Galar region."

"You got it, dad. Don't worry about me." he grinned.

Ashleigh paced about impatiently, as energetic as the Pichu running around her. "Cmon, let's go, let's go! I wanna see new pokemon!"

Serena smiled. "Well, I guess there's no point in hanging around, is there?"

Ash took Serena's hand, and grinned. "Man, I feel so young again."

Serena agreed. "Yep. I'm sure it'll be just as fun too."

The couple gazed into each others eyes, and together with their children by their sides, walked down the path of Route 1.

* * *

**I don't believe it, but it looks like we have reached the end of Our Dream.** **What**** started as an unoriginal amourshipping twist to the already existing XYZ series, it's developed into something more, something I've enjoyed writing. And I sure hope you enjoyed this as much as I have.** **It**** is far from perfect, and certainly boring at times.**

**But I can improve as a writer, and I hope I have over the course of this. Especially the first 10 chapters were mostly ripped off of XY. But now, I decided to go out of my comfort zone and add my own original content, aiming for it to not be hopelessly cringy. Regardless, I have certainly enjoyed the story. and thank you all so much for the reviews, favourites and follows. They inspired me to continue, rather than do what I've always done: delete furiously when I dislike something.**

**I'm prepared to answer every question you may have for me in DMs. if you want to ask me something, please have an account and then send a review; I will be sure to reply!**

**This has been Jaeolian, also known as Jaan. ****If you like this fanfiction and you're also into metal music, I recommend you check out my YouTube channel and my album - links are all in my profile.**

**So anyway, thank you all very much for reading and sticking along with me to the end. It's means so much to me.**

**P.S. Anyone notice the titles for these last three chapters? I named them after Pokemon Mystery Dungeon ending songs. I recommend, if you like the anime and find the main games pretty boring like I do, that you play a Mystery Dungeon game. They're legendary. In fact, I'm gonna buy Rescue Team DX for switch now my GCSEs have finished!**


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